Brisbane Childcare Centre Fined $14,500 for Toddler's Unsupervised 30-Minute Escape
A childcare centre in Brisbane has been slapped with a substantial fine of $14,500 after a three-year-old toddler managed to leave the premises unnoticed and remained unsupervised for almost half an hour. The incident, which occurred at Only About Children (OAC) Morningside on Thynne Road on June 23, 2023, was revealed by the Queensland Department of Education in a recent statement.
According to the department, no staff members realised the child was missing until a member of the public alerted the service approximately ten minutes after the toddler had exited the centre. Following this alert, the centre conducted a headcount, which confirmed the child's absence. It took an additional twenty minutes before staff were notified that the child had been found, resulting in the toddler being outside and unsupervised for just under thirty minutes in total.
Legal Action and Court Findings
As the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority, the Queensland Department of Education took the centre's approved provider to court for multiple offences. These included failing to adequately supervise children at all times, protect them from harm and hazards, and ensure that a child did not leave the premises without authorisation. The provider was fined $14,500 and ordered to pay $2,500 in legal costs.
Magistrate Lewis Shillito emphasised the gravity of the situation, stating that it was "good luck, not good management" that prevented the child from being harmed. He described thirty minutes as an excessively lengthy period for a three-year-old to be without adult supervision, exposing the child to significant risks such as crossing busy roads or encountering other dangers.
Centre's Response and Safety Measures
In a statement to media outlets, OAC accepted responsibility for the incident and outlined steps taken to enhance safety. A spokesperson said, "Only About Children accepts the court's decision regarding the June 2023 incident at our Morningside campus, where a child left our care unaccompanied. We take responsibility for this serious incident. The safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is our absolute priority."
The spokesperson added that since the incident, the organisation has invested significantly in strengthening safety systems, supervision protocols, and staff training across all campuses. They expressed a commitment to rebuilding trust with families through actions and an unwavering focus on child safety.
Similar Incident at Another Brisbane Centre
In a separate case highlighting ongoing concerns in the childcare sector, another Brisbane centre faced penalties for a similar breach. On February 17, 2023, a five-year-old child left Busy Bees Early Learning Centre on Harries Road in Coorparoo for between eight and eighteen minutes. The child's absence was only discovered when his mother arrived to collect him.
FEL Child Care Centres 3 Pty Ltd, which operates the centre, was fined $12,500 for this incident. The Queensland Department of Education reiterated its commitment to working with the early childhood sector to ensure services meet their responsibilities to provide adequate supervision and safe environments for children.
Regulatory Authority's Stance
The department issued a stern warning, stating, "If steps taken by an approved provider to ensure children's health and safety are inadequate, the Regulatory Authority will not hesitate to take appropriate action." This underscores the importance of robust safety measures in childcare settings to prevent such dangerous occurrences.
These cases serve as a critical reminder of the vulnerabilities in childcare supervision and the legal consequences for failures in duty of care. Parents and guardians are urged to remain vigilant, while providers must continuously review and improve their safety protocols to protect young children from potential harm.
