Childcare Staff Urged to Report Abuse Directly to Police, Not Regulators, Says NSW Child Abuse Squad Head
During a public inquiry into the childcare sector, Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett, head of the New South Wales police child abuse squad, emphasized that childcare workers should report any suspected or observed abuse directly to the police rather than the childcare regulator.
Howlett highlighted the importance of immediate police involvement when dealing with criminal offences in childcare settings. She pointed out that in everyday situations, people would naturally call the police if they witnessed an assault. She questioned why, in the childcare sector, incidents that could be criminal offences are often reported only to the regulatory body instead.
“If you’re walking down the street and you saw someone being assaulted, nine times out of 10 most people would contact the police,” Howlett said. “I don’t really understand why this sector sees a criminal offence or an offence and they choose to report it to the regulator.”
Her remarks came amid ongoing investigations and efforts to improve the response to child abuse in childcare environments. The call to prioritize police reporting aims to ensure that suspected criminal behaviour receives the appropriate legal attention promptly.
This guidance is part of broader discussions on how to strengthen protections for children and ensure that those responsible for abuse are held accountable through the criminal justice system.