Sector Update 

Three children found unsupervised in a shed at a Duncraig early education and care service

The Learning

Inadequate supervision incidents continue to occur in education and care services. Maintaining adequate, flexible supervision is critical to ensure children do not gain unnoticed access to places where they could get injured.  Children restricted in confined spaces can quickly overheat or injure themselves. In this instance, the children became locked inside a shed for approximately 8 minutes. This could have easily resulted in serious injury. 

Services are encouraged to think about potential supervision risks in the outdoor environment. Strategies to promote children not gaining unsupervised access to sheds and address any other identified issues must be considered. Regular review of supervision plans is essential.

The Incident

A Department of Communities investigation found that in September 2023, three children aged three-years-old were found unsupervised in a shed at Nido Early School Duncraig.

The children had been playing outside near the unlocked shed before entering it. An educator was made aware of the situation by two other children and the children in the shed were re-directed to play in the yard just around the corner.

The three children immediately returned to the shed and started playing inside.
The door to the shed subsequently closed and was locked from the inside.

An educator who was conducting a head count located the children in the shed. The educator went inside and returned with the key to unlock the shed. The children were left alone and unsupervised in the shed for approximately 8 minutes.  

The Penalty

The approved provider, Nest Early Education Services Pty Ltd, was ordered to pay a penalty of $20,000 and $2,000 in costs by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) for contravening the Education and Care Services National Law (WA) Act 2012 and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012, for inadequate supervision of a child.  

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