The approved provider, G8 Education Limited, which operates the service Great Beginnings Cloverdale, was ordered to pay a total penalty of $65,000 for contravening sections 165(1) and 167(1) of the Education and Care Services National Law (WA) Act 2012 for the offences of inadequate supervision of a child and failing to ensure that every reasonable precaution was taken to protect children from harm and from any hazard likely to cause injury.
A Department of Communities (Communities) investigation found that two children, aged 1 year 7 months and 2 years 4 months old, exited the toddler room as an educator held the door open to speak to a parent. One child proceeded to wander into the carpark, while the other remained in the area.
Fortunately, a parent noticed the child was alone in the carpark and returned the child to the toddlers’ room. It was at this point that the educators realised that the two children had exited the service.
G8 Education Limited was also ordered to pay $2,000 towards the Department of Communities’ legal costs.
More information on the SAT order is available on the eCourts website.
Quotes from Angelo Barbaro, Executive Director, Regulation and Quality, Department of Communities:
"Inadequate supervision within the education and care services sector is a significant concern of Communities."
"Even a momentary lapse of supervision can significantly increase the risk of harm to children."
"This particular incident could have had potentially fatal consequences for the unsupervised child."
"Parents are entitled to trust that when their children are in an education and care setting, they are being supervised and kept out of harm’s way."
"We urge providers to ensure constant, proper supervision to keep children safe and to avoid being penalised."
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