Childcare abuse exposes gaps as ministers plan national oversight body
Four Corners exposed a trainee assaulting a 13-month-old baby 55 times. Education ministers will meet next week to discuss a national childcare commission and CCTV standards.
Australia's childcare sector faces a major overhaul following a Four Corners investigation. Edwina Ling worked as a trainee at a Far North Queensland childcare centre.
She assaulted a baby boy 55 times. She smothered, kicked, and hit him.
CCTV cameras caught all of it. Ling pleaded guilty to 82 assaults and was jailed for four years.
Education ministers will meet next week to consider creating a national childcare commission. This would improve oversight of the $20 billion sector.
The government is also reviewing why unqualified workers can be left alone with babies. A trial at 300 childcare centres tested CCTV.
The footage proved critical in Ling's case after she initially denied the abuse. The Injinoo Child Care Centre was shut down after losing Commonwealth funding.
- 55 times the trainee attacked the baby
- Assaults documented
- $20 billion childcare sector
- Sector size
- Four years with one-year non-parole period
- Prison sentence
Why it mattersThe case prompted a review of supervision rules. These rules currently allow unqualified workers to care for babies alone.
AustraliaAustralian parents may see CCTV become standard in childcare centres and tighter rules on which workers can be alone with babies.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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