Seven-year-old child left unattended on locked bus on 39-degree day

25 March 2026

An Ellenbrook service responsible for leaving a seven-year-old child unattended on a locked bus on a 39-degree day has been ordered to pay $25,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal.

The outcome serves as a timely reminder of the responsibility all providers own to ensure children in their care are kept safe at all times.

The incident occurred at Kiddo’s OSHC & Vacation Care on a sweltering day in late March of last year.

A child was left unsupervised on a vehicle for around 5 minutes in stifling conditions after staff failed to conduct a mandatory disembarking check in a clear breach of their responsibilities under the Education and Care Services National Law (Western Australia) (the National Law).

The child was only accounted for by chance, after an educator walked past the unattended bus and heard the distressed child seeking assistance. Despite the scare, the child was unharmed and the service has since voluntarily closed.

A Department of Communities investigation uncovered a series of breaches under the National Law and referred the matter against approved provider Vanessa Leigh Whittington to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).

More information on the SAT order is available on the eCourts website. 

Quotes from Angelo Barbaro, Executive Director, Regulation and Quality, Department of Communities:

“This incident could easily have resulted in a far worse outcome.”

“Supervision is the single most important step in keeping children safe. It is non-negotiable.”

“There is no substitute for supervision. Services must be vigilant in checking processes and ensuring children disembark transport vehicles safely.”

“When services fail to meet their obligations, the Department of Communities takes decisive action as evidenced by this order.”