Ten former employees of a residential home in Prince Edward have been jailed for up to five years and four months for child abuse, with two others given 180 hours of community service.

The defendants, aged between 25 and 59, were among 34 caregivers charged with abuse at the Children's Residential Home three years ago.

Passing sentence on Monday, District Court judge Lily Wong described the defendants’ behaviour as cruel and brutal. She said they had treated the children they physically abused as objects.

She rejected the defence’s claim that a toxic culture at the home influenced the defendants' behaviour, saying they should have corrected the wrongdoings rather than emulating bad practice.