The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have issued a renewed public appeal as part of their ongoing investigation into former Sydney childcare worker Hamish Tait, urging parents and caregivers to help identify children who may have been affected.
Tait remains before the courts facing 329 charges relating to the alleged abuse of children over a period spanning from 2009 to 2025. The charges include allegations of producing child abuse material, filming children without consent and using children in the production of child abuse material. As the matter is before the courts, the allegations have not been proven.
The latest appeal follows the release of new victim identification details by investigators under Operation Moonbi. Police said electronic devices seized during the investigation contained images of children who have not yet been identified, and they are seeking assistance from the public to determine their identities.
Investigators said two children previously shown in de-identified images from a childcare centre at Rouse Hill have now been identified. However, detectives are still trying to identify another child believed to have been photographed at a childcare centre in Putney around 9 January 2018. Authorities are also seeking to identify a young boy whose image was located on seized electronic devices and is believed to have been taken between March 2020 and July 2025.
To protect the privacy of children, the AFP has not released the sensitive images publicly. Instead, investigators have provided limited descriptions in the hope that parents, guardians or former childcare staff may recognise the children from the clothing, dates or locations involved.
Detective Acting Inspector Emmanuel Tsardoulias said even small pieces of information could assist investigators.
"We appreciate the information shared with the community may appear limited, however, any clue may assist with victim identification."
Police said they have already received more than 300 public reports since the investigation became public. Detectives continue contacting families and reviewing information as they work to identify every potential victim.
According to investigators, Tait worked at or attended numerous childcare centres across Sydney during his career. Police have established a public Operation Moonbi website listing childcare centres where he was employed or attended between 2009 and 2025. Detectives have since removed several centres from that list after confirming he had no unsupervised access to children at those locations.
The case has prompted renewed discussion about child safety within Australia's early childhood education sector. Industry organisations have expressed support for stronger safeguarding measures while emphasising that the overwhelming majority of childcare educators are dedicated professionals committed to children's wellbeing.
The AFP has urged anyone who believes they may have information relevant to the investigation to contact police. Authorities say every piece of information, no matter how minor it may seem, could help identify victims and support the ongoing investigation. As legal proceedings continue, investigators remain focused on ensuring all potentially affected children are identified and offered appropriate support.
