Little Peoples Place child care centre in Spearwood.
Camera IconLittle Peoples Place child care centre in Spearwood. Credit: Supplied/David Johns

Spearwood child care centre defends staff, safety after kids found playing on Rockingham Road

Headshot of David Johns
David JohnsCockburn Gazette

UPDATE A Spearwood child care centre fined after two children were found playing unsupervised on Rockingham Road has defended its staff and outlined improved safety measures since the incident.

Little Peoples Place was fined more than $10,000 after failing to ensure the adequate supervision of all children in its care on September 6, 2017.

Two children under the age of four that were at the centre were found on that day playing unsupervised on Rockingham Road by members of the public.

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The absence of the children from the centre went entirely unnoticed until the members of the public alerted staff.

The matter went to mediation on December 21 last year, and the provider was ordered to pay a $10,500 fine as well as $1000 towards the Department of Local Government’s legal costs.

In a statement issued today, the centre said “many grey areas” had not been mentioned in the coverage of the incident.

“The centre’s front door was left open during pick up times in the lead up to the incident,” the statement said.

“We have now amended this as a safety risk by fitting self-closing hinges as well as other additional safety precautions throughout the centre.

“The centre had been provided with five hours a day inclusion support for one of the two additional needs children that were involved with the incident.

“This incident had occurred after the five-hour period completed.

“Absconding is a type of behaviour that has been displayed outside of our service.

“Both children continued to attend the service following the incident.”

The statement said “many new effective strategies and practices” had been put in place and policies and procedures had been reviewed.

“Educators were also aware of the incident and within minutes went to the driveway of the centre to collect the children from a passerby that had also seen them,” it said.

“Educators have attended supervision development workshops and the revision of supervision points both inside and outside of the service has been addressed, although on the day of the incident the centre was adequately staffed with competent educators supervising.”

Click here to read the enforcement notice

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