Camp Australia Pty Ltd has been penalised for inadequate supervision by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) for the ninth time since 2023, after a seven-year-old child with additional needs was left unsupervised for approximately 20 minutes.
The approved education and care provider was ordered to pay $35,000 by SAT after the child left the service licensed space unsupervised on 21 March 2025. He was found alone and unsupervised on the premises of Tuart Rise Primary School by a member of the school’s staff.
None of the staff at the Camp Australia Tuart Rise Primary School service saw the child leave the approved space or knew that he was missing until the staff member returned him.
Fortunately, the child was physically unharmed.
A Department of Communities (Communities) investigation found that the provider had breached the Education and Care Services National Law (WA) by failing to adequately supervise a child in their care.
More information on the SAT order is available on the eCourts website.
Quotes from Angelo Barbaro, Executive Director, Regulation and Quality, Department of Communities:
“It is frustrating that we continue to see cases where inadequate supervision has put children at risk. Even a momentary lapse of supervision can significantly increase the risk of harm.
“Despite the Communities’ Education and Care Regulatory Unit (ECRU) providing ongoing information and support to the sector regarding the importance of active supervision, inadequate supervision within the education and care services sector continues to be a significant concern.
“ECRU cannot overstate the importance of having robust policies and procedures, including risk assessments, and we continue to remind approved providers of the importance of ensuring that staff follow these policies and procedures.
“Once again, we urge approved providers to ensure constant, adequate supervision to keep children safe and to avoid being penalised.”
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