14 July 2026
The union representing staff in early childhood education and care in NSW and the ACT is shocked and saddened by the extent of the alleged offending by Sydney childcare worker Hamish Alexander Edward Tait.
The Australian Federal Police has named the 62 childcare and early education centres, mainly in north-western Sydney, where Tait worked or attended between 2009 and 2025. He has been in custody since July 2025.
“It’s hard to comprehend the children’s suffering and the distress parents would be feeling,” said Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews.
“The IEU supports measures introduced during the past year aimed at improving safety to ensure children are safe at all times and parents can have confidence in the sector.”
These measures include a ban on personal devices in centres such as mobile phones and iPads; the establishment of a National Early Childhood Worker Register; regular reviews of employees’ Working With Children Checks; mandatory child safety training; and increased focus on staffing ratios.
“State and federal governments have enacted a range of reforms to strengthen child safety and lift standards in the sector over the past year,” Matthews said.
The union also calls for clear guidelines to ensure that a worker is never left alone unsupervised with a child.
“Taken together, these measures should help decrease the risk of offences such as those alleged in this case from occurring again,” Matthews said.
“We must all work together to ensure this never happens again.”
Contacts
Carol Matthews, IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary, 0418 272 902
Media: Andrew Taylor, 0477 902 040, [email protected]
The IEUA NSW/ACT Branch represents over 32,000 teachers, principals and support staff in Catholic and independent schools, early childhood centres and post-secondary colleges.
Authorised by Carol Matthews, IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary