The NSW Early Learning Commission has conducted a comprehensive single-day child safety compliance blitz across more than 220 early learning centres.
On February 11 more than 100 officers conducted unannounced visits at early learning services across Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast, and Wollongong.
This blitz is just one example of the clear increase in regulatory activity undertaken by the Commission since it was established in December last year.
Officers focused on the implementation of child safety reforms, including adherence to the requirements for adequate supervision of children and staffing ratios.
Encouragingly, only around one per cent of services visited were in breach of the adequate supervision and educator to child ratio requirements.
Other breaches identified on the day included failing to display the service’s compliance history, concerns about how children are protected from harm and hazards, and a failure to comply with the ban on using personal electronic devices while working with children.
Information gathered during this blitz is being reviewed and further action may be taken. Services who were found to be in breach must now demonstrate they have addressed the issued identified.
Services and staff members are on notice that they may face on-the-spot fines for repeated breaches.
In the less than three months since the Commission was established about 2,400 inspections have been conducted, with more than half of those unannounced.
Unannounced inspections help the Commission to ensure high safety and quality standards across more than 6000 early childhood education and care services in NSW.
Additionally, since early December, the Commission has suspended four services and cancelled three others.
An out of school hours preschool service operated by Lycee Condorcet International French School, Great Western Family Day Care, Fun2Learn in Rosehill, Sunshine Kiddies Early Learning Centre in Bankstown, Fairytales Preschool and Long Day Care Centre in Carlingford, Surfside Kidz in Batemans Bay, and The Beach in Erina have all been subject to regulatory action.
Please attribute to Acting NSW Early Learning Commissioner, Daryl Currie:
“Parents deserve to know that their children are being left in safe hands.
“The NSW Government’s nation-leading reforms have equipped the Commission with the ability to respond to risk swiftly and effectively to any risk to children’s safety.
“The Commission is visiting more services, more often, as we prioritise child safety above all else.
"When children are at risk, we will act.”
About us:
The NSW Early Learning Commission is responsible for regulating over 6,000 early childhood education and care services across NSW to ensure they meet stringent standards of safety, quality, and compliance. The Commision oversees these services to protect children’s health, safety and development through rigorous, ongoing assessments and compliance monitoring.
The NSW Early Learning Commission is dedicated to driving quality, safety, compliance and community confidence across the NSW early childhood education and care sector. The Commission places the safety, wellbeing, rights and best interests of children at the very centre of every decision and action.
Contact details:
MEDIA: Kate Hancock 0499 843 397 | media@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au