Two former childcare workers have avoided criminal convictions despite admitting to physically assaulting a toddler in their care at a western Sydney centre. Julie Gay Minter, 55, and Bhawna Joshi, 28, pleaded guilty to one count each of common assault after an incident involving an 18-month-old child at Little Zak's Academy in Doonside in October 2025.
Details of the Assault
Court documents revealed that Minter yanked a basket from the child's hand and dragged him upright by his right arm, forcing him onto his tiptoes. Later, Joshi backed the same toddler into a wall and pushed him against it. The incidents were captured on CCTV after a parent reported witnessing Minter's behavior to the childcare centre.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Originally charged with five counts of common assault each, the prosecution withdrew all but one charge per woman. In separate hearings at Blacktown Local Court, both received two-year community release orders—essentially good behavior bonds—without convictions being recorded. Judge James Howard told Joshi, 'Becoming annoyed with children who are behaving unpredictably requires patience, skill and care and needs to be learned.' He added, 'You have responsibility and care for children... allowing that to happen is of some concern.'
In Minter's case, Judge Kirk Dailly noted her 20-year childcare career and loss of employment, emphasizing her 'dedication to (her) own family and the children of others.' He stated, 'Children will still be children and they will still ruffle the feathers of parents and even childcare workers every now and then. It was overstepping the mark slightly and shouldn't have been done.'
Aftermath and Centre Closure
Both workers were dismissed after being charged. Minter will not return to the industry. Little Zak's Academy closed weeks after the allegations emerged and has not reopened. The centre also faced separate allegations involving an autistic child being locked in a storage shed by another worker, unrelated to Minter or Joshi.
