<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lawyers are preparing to launch legal action against a childcare giant on behalf of families whose children were allegedly sexually abused by accused paedophile Joshua Dale Brown.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Law firm Arnold, Thomas &amp; Becker today announced three Melbourne families were launching separate claims against G8 Education, with the first suit to be filed as early as next week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with 70 child sex abuse-related offences pertaining to eight alleged victims who attended Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook between April 2022 and January 2023.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/salim-mehajer-leaves-jail-former-auburn-deputy-mayor-almost-five-years-behind-bars/d733325c-0443-4d4d-a0d9-ee8b160e1598" target="_blank"><strong><span>Salim Mehajer's first words on camera after parole</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The alleged victims are aged between five months and two years old.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>G8 Education owns and operates Creative Garden Early Learning in Point Cook, as well as several other centres caught up in the police investigation into Brown.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The legal proceedings are expected to be lodged in the Supreme Court of Victoria.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/lawyers-launch-legal-action-against-childcare-centre/ea85889f-72f1-40d1-9b72-e814e39a0818" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 250 families whose children attended centres where Brown worked have approached Arnold, Thomas &amp; Becker, according to the firm.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The firm said it was still receiving at least half a dozen calls every day from impacted parents assessing their legal options.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Arnold Thomas &amp; Becker Principal lawyer Jodie Harris, who is leading the legal proceedings, said many parents and caregivers impacted were "really struggling".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The level of trauma has been quite intense," Harris said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You could really see the scale of the impact that one person has had.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Some families are unable to return to work because they can no longer entrust their children to childcare.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Others are grappling with ongoing uncertainty, fear and guilt."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On Tuesday, Victoria Police </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/joshua-brown-childcare-centre-alleged-abuse-investigation/38341b4c-c87e-4ac1-a950-51be4a00e245" rel="" target="" title="confirmed four additional centres where Brown worked"><span>confirmed four additional centres where Brown worked</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-diagnosed-with-chronic-venous-insufficiency/0b3c5e8c-7e0f-4b0a-bd79-805bbe347806" target="_blank"><strong><span>Donald Trump diagnosed with 'benign' chronic venous insufficiency, White House reveals</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>To date, around 2000 children have been identified as potentially affected and have been recommended for infectious disease testing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While many children have returned negative results from disease testing, Harris said the "not knowing" continues to take a toll on families.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We continue to work closely with affected families across Victoria to provide clear legal advice, support, and to explore all possible avenues for compensation and justice."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>So far, 24 childcare centres across Melbourne have been identified as places where Brown worked at least one shift between January 2017 and May 2025.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Outside of allegations of offending at Creative Gardens Early Learning in Point Cook, there has been no confirmation any alleged offending took place at other centres.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Of the four new centres, Arnold Thomas &amp; Becker is representing families from three.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are acting for three families whose children attended Milestones Early Learning Greensborough, one from Milestones Early Learning in Tarneit and one family linked to Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These families, like many others, are dealing with distress and uncertainty following the revelations – and we expect to hear from more over the coming weeks in light of this new information," Harris said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a statement, G8 Education said a number of child-safe policies and procedures were already in place in all of its centres, including a ban on personal devices in rooms.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Following a trial, the childcare operator will also accelerate the rollout of CCTV to all of its centres.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It will commission an independent review into the alleged offending by Brown, once the police investigation has concluded.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"At G8 Education, the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is our highest priority," a spokesperson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is a responsibility shared by every member of the G8 Education team, and one that sits at the heart of everything we do.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"...G8 Education is committed to working with all levels of Government across Australia to urgently consider what more can be done to better protect children."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></a><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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