Dear Australian's, 

As a full-time mother to three young daughters, I place my trust in our childcare system every day — just like thousands of other families across Australia. We hand over our babies with the belief that they will be cared for, nurtured, and above all, protected.

But that trust is being shaken.

Recent events have made it painfully clear that predators can — and do — find their way into positions of trust in early childhood centres. Some move easily between centres, enabled by staff shortages, inconsistent background checks, and a lack of national oversight. This is not just a failure of policy — it’s a failure to protect our most vulnerable.

I’m not just asking mums and dads to stand up.

I’m asking every Australian who believes in the safety of our children to support this call for change.

I am calling on the Federal Government and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to urgently implement the following national protections:

1. A unified, real-time Working with Children Check system across all states and territories, with automatic alerts for any changes.
2. Mandatory and ongoing child protection training for every staff member, including agency and casual workers.
   Stronger supervision standards, including two educators present at all times with children and cameras in communal areas.
3. Regulation of staffing pressure, ensuring that staff shortages do not allow high-risk individuals to bypass safety checks.
4. A national, centralised database to track all childcare workers — including past concerns, not just criminal convictions.
5. A ban or restriction on personal mobile phones during shifts, to minimise distractions and prevent inappropriate contact or unmonitored activity around children.
6. A national, centralised database to track all childcare workers — including past concerns, not just criminal convictions.
7. Creation of an independent Childcare Safety Taskforce to audit and investigate concerns across the country.

Our children deserve more than patchwork policies and good intentions. They deserve a childcare system built on safety, accountability, and transparency.

I am ready to stand up and be part of this change — to advocate, to contribute, and to hold decision-makers accountable. But I need your voice too.

Please sign and share this petition so our leaders know:

We will not stay silent. We demand better.

Let’s protect every child — together.

– Bronwyn Thorpe

Mother of 3 | Advocate for Child Safety