McCoole to give evidence to abuse inquiry

Pedophile childcare worker Shannon McCoole will give evidence to South Australia's child protection royal commission and is expected to be asked how he was able to abuse children for years but remain undetected.

McCoole will give evidence on February 26 and 29, the commission has confirmed.

He was jailed for 35 years last August for 18 state and two federal offences, including persistent sexual exploitation of children, sexual intercourse with children and the production and dissemination of child pornography.

One of his victims was just 18 months old.

McCoole was also found to be an administrator of a global child pornography website.

The royal commission is currently examining the circumstances surrounding his employment as a Families SA worker and how he managed to abuse children in state care between 2011 and 2014.

It has already heard from a number of his co-workers as well as people who were involved in his employment and ongoing supervision.

Some of them have told how McCoole was viewed as "bulletproof" after he escaped sanction over an incident in a residential care home and how he boasted about fooling Families SA into hiring him.

The commission was also told that McCoole was considered "high risk" and "very unsuitable" because of some of the answers he gave during the application process.

Before the current hearings began, McCoole indicated he would co-operate with the commission.

But counsel assisting Emily Telfer said any testimony would not be an opportunity for him to justify his actions.

Ms Telfer said it would allow McCoole to offer his "unique perspective" on gaps in the childcare system that allowed him to offend.