A note to our families,

WARNING: Sensitive Topic regarding Child Protection

Updated: 09-07-2026

To our extended community,

With this post we’re hoping to address a significant amount of social media commentary and speculation that has emerged regarding a Child Care Educator that was arrested in July 2025, and remains in custody.

The devastation caused by this situation is difficult to put into words, and our thoughts remain firmly with the children, families, educators and wider community who have been impacted.  Every day, we continue to navigate the profound shock and sadness that this has caused.

Originally the charges numbered 13, then nine months later in April 2026 many more were added, and the SMH is now reporting that there are 192 charges involving 122 children “the vast bulk of the charges are producing child abuse material (digital images), and a handful of sexual touching allegations centre around the childcare worker’s alleged undressing and posing of children.”

The man conducted other businesses around “nature play” with children, and it’s unclear how many images originate in Centre based care, and how many are external.

Regardless, a number of these alleged offences have occurred on our watch, and we are profoundly sorry.  Nothing is more important to us, or more sacred to our contract with our parents than to keep children safe in our care.  It is utterly sickening, and absolutely devastating to us and our entire team.

Importantly, it was the Police who applied for a suppression and non-publication order on identifying the man last year, and it remains in place today.  Originally to protect evidence, the existence of the order has kept some information out of the mainstream media, but sadly it opens the door to crazy speculation online, and in some ways, an inability for us to properly apologise, defend ourselves or even stand and face the inevitable criticism that would be coming for us.

On Tuesday last week the alleged offender’s family applied to the court to extend the non-publication order as it was due to expire, and the court agreed to extend it for two weeks for further consideration.  Whilst we can understand their desire for privacy around their family name (they’ve done nothing wrong and there are also children involved), we (Fit Kidz) played no part in this at all, and allegations of us trying to help in a “cover-up”, are completely wrong.

Another misconception is that the Police are keeping us informed.  The truth is we have had NO contact AT ALL with the Police for many months, despite our best attempts by phone and email over time.  Understandably, their priority is to run a criminal case, and we were told early on that they “wont provide a running commentary” and in fact we had “no standing in the case” and they won’t be able to keep us updated or informed, partly for operational reasons, but also to protect the identities of victims and their families who are entitled to confidentiality.  We are aware that there is a victim portal where they provide sporadic updates, but we don’t have access and only hear about it from others who share.

Also, we have still never been asked to identify any children or images, but Police have had access to our Storypark portal and lots of our records for many months, and we assume that is how Fit Kidz children and families have been identified and notified.  The SMH reports that the evidentiary review is complete and “AFP investigators have now contacted the parents of the children they have been able to identify”.  The reason for proposing to lift the non-publication order now was to provide more openness and transparency around the case and that some more photos may be able to be identified, and that there is substantial public interest, as we know.  (Please be reminded that the email address provided by the AFP last year for this case is [email protected])

We want to be really clear and reiterate that whilst this matter even now remains subject to legal restrictions, we have been completely transparent with our families and Educators.  Mostly we have not been the first to know things, but we have never had any interest in protecting a person whose (alleged) actions have caused such profound harm to so many.  Our focus has always been, and will continue to be, supporting those affected and strengthening the safety of the children entrusted to us.

Over twenty-two years we and our people have built a strong community.  Anyone who has been in it knows that we try our damned hardest to do a great job for our families.  We don’t take shortcuts with regulations or staff ratio and we have never rostered any educator to be caring for a group alone.  Our technology use policies have evolved and changed over the years to try to keep pace with the evolution of the technologies themselves, and we honestly believe we have the best team in the sector.  Our training systems are well developed and strong.  And still there were no red flags.

Obviously situations like this can be highly emotive, and we’ve certainly received some very strong trolling online.  For some, this may feel like online discussion or social media drama, but for us and our extended community, it is real life.  Behind every comment are families who are hurting, and people who are navigating and continuing to work supporting children, many of whom have dedicated their lives and careers to caring for families.

We understand the anger, sadness and disbelief that many people feel.  We share those emotions and we accept the criticism – all we ask is that discussions are guided by facts, and with compassion and consideration for the innocent people who are living with the consequences of this every day.  There has been no cover up! And contrary to a persistent theme online – nobody is protecting the alleged offender.

Very often where you see us being attacked online, someone will try to defend us with their own experience, and we thank those people wholeheartedly.   We sincerely thank those who have been a source of constant support to us and our team over the past year, and our hearts remain with the families who have been impacted by this awful situation.

We hope to have provided here some more detail, truth and context.

Mick & Mel Scaife
Fit Kidz Learning Centres