Inquiry finds ‘appalling failure’ over allegations of historical child sexual abuse in Victorian public schools

A report tabled in Victorian parliament found the state education department ‘woefully failed’ to protect children from sexual abuse between 1960 and 1994. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP

The Victorian education department had a “culture of covering up” allegations of historical child sexual abuse in public schools to protect reputations, an inquiry has found, describing it as an “appalling and systemic failure”.

The final report of Victoria’s special inquiry investigating historical sexual abuse at 24 state schools, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, found the department “woefully failed” to protect children between 1960 and 1994, because it had not policies in place to deal with perpetrators.