Sector Update 

2-year-old child left outside unsupervised

The Learning

Services are encouraged to review current induction procedures for all staff. For example, does it include specific information about the room or the age group the staff member is going to be working with and the supervision practices for that group?  Approved Providers and Nominated Supervisors are also encouraged to assess any last-minute changes that need to be made to staffing arrangements to ensure that appropriately qualified and experienced staff are directly working with children. The abilities of staff, their knowledge of the children and the needs of the children must be taken into account.

An essential element of adequate supervision is the use of physical headcounts at regular intervals. Policies and practices should consider implementing headcounts during any transitional periods and when children move from one environment to another.

Regular audits to ensure that all staff are aware of, and are following, the service’s policies and procedures should be conducted by Approved Providers.

The Incident

A Department of Communities investigation found that in February 2023, a 2-year-old child was left unsupervised in an outdoor yard at the service, Nido Early School East Victoria Park. 

The child was overlooked when a headcount was not conducted by the educator when taking the children inside following lunchtime.  The maximum temperature that day was 32 degrees, and the child was left outside for 1 hour and 25 minutes.  Another educator found the child when she went outside to collect her water bottle and heard the child crying.

The service failed to conduct adequate headcount procedures which could have identified the child missing earlier.

The Penalty

The Approved Provider, Nest Early Education Services Pty Ltd, was ordered to pay a penalty of $22,000 for contravening section 165(1) of the Education and Care Service National Law (WA) Act 2012, for the offence of inadequate supervision of a child.

Nest Early Education Services Pty Ltd was also ordered to pay $2,500 towards the Department of Communities’ legal costs.

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