Victoria's childcare regulator rarely made surprise visits, and its child-safety check couldn't bar workers facing credible abuse allegations, a state review found.

The Rapid Child Safety Review, ordered by the Victorian Government on 2 July 2025 after a Melbourne childcare worker was charged with more than 70 child-abuse offences, reported on 15 August 2025. It found the regulator, a division inside the Department of Education, made unannounced visits only about once every two years per service, with an average of 3.5 years between assessment visits.