An approved education and care provider, Green Leaves Early Learning Centres Pty Ltd, has been ordered to pay $23,500 by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) after a 16-month-old child was left with burns on their feet.
The incident, which occurred on 12 February 2026, resulted from the child standing on a steel access grate and sustaining partial thickness burns to both feet.
The maximum temperature on the day was recorded at 29 degrees Celsius, but the grate temperature was close to 60 degrees when measured shortly after the incident.
A temperature check of the surfaces in the outdoor area had not been done prior to the service, operating as Green Leaves Early Learning Maida Vale, taking the children outside.
A Department of Communities (Communities) investigation found that the provider had breached section 167(1) the Education and Care Services National Law (WA) by failing to protect a child from harm and hazards.
More information on the SAT’s order is available on the eCourts website.
Quotes from Angelo Barbaro, Executive Director, Regulation and Quality, Department of Communities:
"Hot surfaces are a known risk to children.
“Burn injuries can have lifelong consequences and these incidents are distressing to the child involved and their families.
“Since 2023, Communities’ Education and Care Regulatory Unit (ECRU) has worked extensively with The Fiona Wood Foundation and Kidsafe to develop burns awareness programs and supporting material specific to the early childhood education and care sector.
“ECRU has provided numerous resources and information regarding burns awareness along with ongoing support to the sector regarding the importance of minimising these risks.
“Providers need to take reasonable precautions, which in this case could have been mitigating the risk of the metal grate reaching such a high temperature, staff training on using a thermometer, and temperature logs for each surface.
"Services must ensure that their staff are suitably trained and supported to actively supervise all children in their care, no matter their needs or circumstances.
"ECRU has a strong compliance framework and will use the legislative tools available under the national law where there are serious breaches of the legislation.
"Western Australia continues to lead the nation when it comes to taking compliance measures to ensure the health safety and wellbeing of the children."
