Sector Update 

Greenfields childcare provider penalised after child left service unsupervised

The Learning

It is essential that Approved Providers ensure that every single child in their care is adequately supervised at all times.  The consequences of inadequate supervision of children can be serious.  Supervision policies and procedures must be robust and include active supervision, frequent headcounts and premises checks, especially during transition times, to ensure all children are accounted for. Supervision practices need to be risk assessed on a regular basis and should consider any additional risks that may arise, such as changes to the environment, or changes to staffing arrangements.

Children’s safety is the responsibility of the Approved Provider, service staff and educators.

The Incident

A Department of Communities investigation found that in September 2022 a five-year old male child was able to climb over the internal gate at ACE Early Learning Centre in Greenfields and exit the premises through an exterior gate which had been left open by visitors.

At the time, the child was attending vacation care at the service and was playing in an outdoor area. Educators were alerted to his absence when they noticed his vacation vest had been left on the floor by the child prior to climbing the internal gate.

The child was unaccounted for, for up to five minutes and was located in a park across the road from the service by another educator who happened to be returning from lunch.

The Penalty

The State Administrative Tribunal ordered About Child Care Pty Ltd to pay a penalty of $11,000 plus legal costs of $2,000 for an offence relating to the inadequate supervision of a child as per section 165(1) of the Education and Care Service National Law (Western Australia) Act 2012.  

For more information visit the eCourts Portal of WA 2023 CC 901