Machete attack forces Melbourne youth mental health workers out of office

Police investigating machete attack at Sunshine youth mental health clinicPosted Fri 31 Jul 2026 at 5:36pmFri 31 Jul 2026 at 5:36pm, updated Fri 31 Jul 2026 at 5:54pmFri 31 Jul 2026 at 5:54pmStaff at a youth mental health service have been subjected to multiple attacks recently, with attackers targeting their patients. (Headspace)In short: Youth mental health workers have been directed to work off-site, after an attack by four masked men at a clinic in Sunshine in Melbourne's west.Police believe the attackers targeted two 19-year-old patients at the clinic, and that the men were known to each other.The Health and Community Services Union has backed the decision to protect workers, calling the attack "deeply distressing".Youth mental health workers have been forced out of their Sunshine clinic after four masked men stormed the centre with machetes to assault a patient this week.The incident follows a series of assaults on staff at the Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS), which has a clinic within the Sunshine Visy Cares Hub in Melbourne's outer west.A notice pinned in the centre last week warned of "ongoing physical risks to staff due to repeat exposures to occupational violence and aggression with armed assaults, numerous code blacks".Another notice refers to psychosocial hazards and exposure to traumatic events.Those PYMHWS staff, who treat children with severe or complex mental health challenges, have been directed to work off-site since last Tuesday's violence.Victoria Police confirmed officers attended the centre on Tuesday after four males entered about 3.50pm and assaulted two men, though they were not physically injured."The victims, both aged 19 from Melton and Wyndham Vale, were not physically injured," police said."The offenders left the scene in a vehicle."The investigation remains ongoing; however it appears as though the men are known to each other."Workers said the masked men threw chairs, that the incident appeared targeted for one patient, but that a second patient was injured in the fray.Union backs decision to move workers off siteSeveral community services operate out of the Visy Cares Hub, and workers have complained that it's resulted in organisations shifting responsibility for occupational health and safety.Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) state secretary Paul Healey said the incident was "completely unacceptable and deeply distressing"."We've welcomed the immediate actions of PYMHWS, whose staff have opted to move off-site until such time as the workplace is safe," Mr Healey said.Mr Healey said the union was unimpressed with the response from Headspace, run by Orygen, which has a clinic within the hub.Orygen said creating a safe space for staff, young people and families was a priority.Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information or CCTV/Dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.