Pom in Oz with Derek Goforth: Why banning men from childcare work in wake of Victorian case is not the answer

Like many parents and educators across the country, I was devastated and disgusted by the recent allegations of systematic abuse involving a childcare worker in Victoria. The horror of these alleged crimes is impossible to overstate. As a father of three, it’s the kind of news that hits you straight in the chest. As a teacher of 25 years, it left me sick, angry, and grieving for the families impacted. But in the weeks since, I’ve felt something else too: a familiar, creeping dread — because once again, I’m seeing the same tired, damaging narrative rear its head. Maybe men shouldn’t work in childcare at all. Maybe we just can’t trust them. Let me be blunt: that view is as offensive as it is ignorant. I’ve been here before. I once worked in a school with very young children, and I faced open opposition simply for being a man in that space. Not subtle, not whispered — open. Some of the loudest criticism came not from parents, but from fellow staff members who proudly, almost smugly, said things like “men have no place in early childhood education”. I wish I were exaggerating. I was watched constantly, treated with suspicion, spoken to with a palpable level of contempt. As if just being male made me a risk. What always gave me solace, what always pulled me through, was this: that attitude never came from the children or the parents. Not once. The people who trusted me with their most valuable possession — their kids — didn’t look at me with fear. They looked at me with gratitude. They saw a teacher. A carer. A role model. A human being. That’s why this knee-jerk response to ban or discourage men from childcare in the wake of this case is not only wrong — it’s dangerous. If we let fear turn into prejudice, if we start sidelining good men who want to work with children because of the alleged actions of one person, we are doing more harm than good. We’re ignoring the real issue — system failures — and replacing it with gender-based scapegoating. You don’t keep kids safe by banning half the population. You do it with rigorous background checks, strong child protection policies, ongoing training, and an environment where abuse can’t hide in the shadows. We say we want more involved dads. More emotionally available men. More balance in education. But then we react like this, and the message to good men becomes crystal clear: You’re not wanted here. You’re a liability. Well, I was there. I stuck it out. And despite everything, I know the value that men can bring to early childhood settings. I’ve seen the difference it makes for kids to have positive male role models in their lives — especially for those who might not have that at home. So no, we don’t need fewer men in childcare. We need more. We need to build trust — not tear it down with fear. We need to create systems that protect our children without vilifying the people who are trying to help raise them. This is a moment for action, not paranoia. For policy change, not prejudice. For justice — not witch hunts. Derek Goforth is an expat and father of three living and working in Geraldton