A warning this story contains distressing details. There are calls to make child protection training mandatory for all staff working in childcare and out-of-school-hours care. Six Sydney centres have now been named where casual worker David James is accused of producing abusive material using children as young as five.
00:00It's news that strikes fear into every parent.
00:06A staff member who worked at 58 out of school hours centres charged with producing child abuse material using children in his care.
00:15The Australian Federal Police moving to reassure the 1,200 families at those centres.
00:20If we have not contacted you, that means we hold no evidence of offending against your child.
00:25Police allege David James took explicit photos of ten children aged between five and six at six Oosh centres between 2021 and 2024.
00:35The ABC has confirmed the six centres at Pyrmont Oosh, Oosh Club at Barker College, Willoughby Kids House,
00:42Helping Hands at St Ives Park Public School, Primary Oosh Care at St Ives Public School and Helping Hands at Lane Cove West Public School.
00:50Sources have confirmed to ABC News that James allegedly filmed boys using the bathroom and that he allegedly touched himself sexually in the presence of children.
00:59All the while, he had a valid working with children check.
01:03That was taken off him post the first search warrant that we executed.
01:08The 26 year old was a casual worker with the staffing agency Randstad.
01:12In a statement, the agency says screening of workers, including for the accused, is conducted in line with best practice in child safe recruitment principles.
01:22Current legislation requires just one nominated supervisor on shift at a child care or Oosh centre to have child protection training.
01:30But this latest case has prompted calls for all staff to undergo training.
01:35It's very clear in schools, the expected training, it's mandatory, it happens every year for all staff.
01:43There just isn't the same regime and it's not required to be the same regime in early education.
01:49I recognise there's widespread community concern about this.
01:52Changes are required and needed, we will implement them in Parliament and beyond that when we need to.
01:59Another wake up call for an industry facing a child protection crisis.
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