Two major childcare providers in Western Australia have been fined following incidents where children under their care managed to escape supervision unnoticed. The incidents, which occurred at separate facilities, have raised serious concerns about the adequacy of supervision and compliance with regulatory requirements.
One of the incidents involved OSHClub, a prominent provider of before and after school care, where a five-year-old neurodivergent child was able to leave the supervision of educators at Samson Primary School, near Fremantle, in February last year. The child joined other children on the school’s oval and remained unsupervised for 10 minutes before being escorted to the school office by another parent. OSHClub faced penalties not only for the lapse in supervision but also for failing to report the incident to regulatory authorities within the required 24-hour timeframe, resulting in a $35,000 fine.
OSHClub’s Response and Regulatory Findings
According to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), OSHClub’s delay in notifying the regulator until the following Monday was a significant breach. Natasha Browne, the general manager for OSHClub in WA, acknowledged the failure of their “robust policies and procedures” in this instance. She emphasized that the child was not harmed and remained within the school grounds throughout the incident.
In response to the incident, OSHClub has implemented several corrective measures, including retraining staff, enhancing supervision practices, and revising its staffing policy to ensure all educators undergo a site induction before starting their shifts.
Another Incident at St Joe’s The Village
Meanwhile, a separate incident in January 2025 at St Joe’s The Village in Albany involved a nine-year-old boy, referred to as T for legal reasons, who managed to leave the facility unnoticed. Despite requiring one-on-one supervision due to a medical condition, T’s absence was only discovered during a roll call conducted over 15 minutes later. The boy was eventually found near a playground at St Joseph’s College and returned to the center after half an hour.
The childcare service, operated by Harpreet Dhaliwal, was fined $8,600 for multiple breaches of the Education and Care Services Act, with an additional $2,000 towards legal costs. The SAT found that the service failed to meet minimum staffing ratios and did not have a proper medical and risk management plan in place for T.
Reactions and Measures Taken
Angelo Barbaro, executive director of the Department of Communities, highlighted the importance of adequate supervision in preventing such incidents. He stated,
“While it’s incredibly fortunate the child was found unharmed, services must prevent these types of incidents by adequately supervising all children in their care.”
In defense of her organization, Ms. Dhaliwal mentioned several changes made post-incident, including the installation of self-closing gates, mandatory sign-in and sign-out procedures for parents, and more frequent headcounts. Additionally, a medical risk register was established to ensure educators are aware of children with specific needs.
Implications for Childcare Providers
These incidents underscore the critical need for childcare providers to adhere strictly to regulatory standards and ensure the safety and well-being of children in their care. The fines and corrective actions imposed serve as a stark reminder of the responsibilities held by these services.
As childcare services continue to navigate operational challenges, the focus on maintaining stringent supervision and compliance with legal requirements remains paramount. The measures taken by both OSHClub and St Joe’s The Village indicate a commitment to improving safety protocols and restoring trust within the community.
Moving forward, these cases may prompt further scrutiny and potential policy changes within the childcare sector to prevent similar occurrences and enhance child safety standards across the board.
