Baldivis childcare centre fined $45k after toddler wanders away from excursion group

A Baldivis childcare centre has been fined $45,000 after a toddler wandered away from an excursion group last year.

The State Administrative Tribunal found Aspire Early Education and Kindergarten Baldivis had failed to provide adequate supervision to the two-year-old and failed to protect the child from a hazard likely to cause injury. 

A Department of Communities investigation revealed the two-year-old girl was one of 13 children taken by two educators to Smirk Road Reserve for a "spontaneous excursion” on the afternoon of September 10, 2024.

The reserve is located across the road from the childcare centre.

According to the judgement, the lead educator claimed to have carried out headcounts of the children every five minutes but had no means of recording those headcounts.

Three children were then collected from the reserve by their parents, but after another headcount the lead educator noticed there were only nine children remaining instead of 10, realising they were missing the two-year-old.

The two educators then spotted the missing child at least 60 metres away being held by a member of the public on the south side of the reserve near Sixty-Eight Road.

The member of the public handed the toddler back to the educator noting they were both wearing the same high-vis vests.

According to the judgement, a Transperth bus driver saw the young child on her own standing very close to the road, which has a 70km/h speed limit.

A member of the public who had been driving behind the bus also pulled over before walking over to the child, "not seeing any adults or other children near her".

"When L walked towards the road again, he picked her up and walked towards the grassed area of the reserve," the judgement read.

"He then saw the educator running towards them from about 50 metres away."

Executive director of Regulation and Quality at the WA Department of Communities Angelo Barbero said inadequate supervision within the education and care services sector is a significant concern.

“A momentary lapse of supervision can significantly increase the risk of harm to children," Mr Barbero said.

“Approved providers must ensure that appropriate risk assessments are in place to ensure the safety of children when on excursions and that appropriate supervision practices are in place at all times to keep children safe and to avoid being penalised."

Aspire Early Education and Kindergarten Baldivis has acknowledged the seriousness of the incident and all spontaneous excursions are now prohibited.

The child is still enrolled at the daycare and her family is supportive, the judgement states.