Statement attributable to Carolyn Smith, Early Education Director, United Workers Union:
Early educators in centres across Australia will be shocked by the news in Melbourne today.
Educators devote their careers to ensuring children have their best start in life, and when that trust is grievously broken, as is alleged in the case being reported today, it’s distressing for educators, the communities they serve and, of course, parents and children.
We are contacting United Workers Union educators in services that are affected offering any assistance we can.
We are also working closely with Governments at both State and Federal level to help in any way to address the issues raised by these reports.
We are devastated by this news, and we offer our thoughts to those who are dealing with the shock of working in, or being impacted by, any situation where the trust of children has been so terribly breached.