Supervision and Safety Concerns in South Australian Childcare Centres
South Australia’s childcare centre watchdog has raised serious concerns about the safety and supervision of children in some early education services. According to the Education Standards Board (ESB), children have ended up on main roads and injured themselves due to inadequate supervision. The ESB has identified that about one in five childcare services across the state do not meet national quality standards.
Benn Gramola, the chief executive of the ESB, told ABC News Stateline that his office has found “serious” issues at a “minority” of childcare centres over the past year. This has led to temporary closures of some services. One of the key issues highlighted is supervision, with instances where children were left unsupervised and ended up in dangerous situations.
Another major concern is medical and allergy management. Ensuring that children receive the right medications and are provided with appropriate food for allergies is crucial. Mr. Gramola emphasized the importance of checking these aspects before feeding children.
Increased Compliance Actions
This financial year, the ESB has issued 507 statutory compliance actions against education and care services, a significant increase from 112 in the previous financial year and 103 the year before. These actions include:
- Ordering the suspension of one staff member or volunteer
- Issuing six prohibition notices to stop people from providing education and care
- Imposing 294 conditions on services
Mr. Gramola explained that the rise in compliance actions is due to increased oversight. Last year, the ESB conducted just under 700 visits to services for the whole financial year. This year, they have already completed over 1,100 visits, allowing them to identify more issues.
Meeting National Quality Standards
Last year, a parliamentary committee heard that some South Australian childcare services had gone up to a decade without being assessed or rated against national quality standards. Mr. Gramola stated that this was “not good enough.” Following the 2023 Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, the ESB received a funding boost from the state government, enabling greater oversight of the sector.
He noted that no service in South Australia now has a 10-year gap in assessments. However, about 20% of childcare centres still do not meet national quality standards. Mr. Gramola clarified that a “working towards” rating does not mean a service is unsafe but indicates that it has not met one of the seven quality areas, such as governance or staff training.
South Australia’s Catch-Up Challenge
South Australia has a higher number of “working towards” ratings compared to other states because the state is “playing catch-up.” The national quality framework was introduced in 2012 and updated to national quality standards in 2018. Many South Australian services had not been brought into the new standards requirement.
Edge Early Learning’s Response
The ESB recently directed the Edge Early Learning centre in Munno Para West to close for three months after seven incidents of children being left unsupervised. Another centre in Gawler East was ordered to shut for two weeks due to poor allergen management. A third centre in Plympton was forced to close twice last year over inadequate supervision.
In response, Edge Early Learning has initiated a “Statewide Day of Action,” where every team member will participate in additional training. Mr. Gramola said the ESB has been working with Edge over an extended period and wants to see improved quality and safety across all services.
He added that if issues continue and there is no willingness to improve, the ESB may take further action, including cancelling services or providers. However, he emphasized that the focus should not be on the negative issues but on the passionate and dedicated individuals who care for children daily.
Conclusion
While the ESB continues to monitor and improve the quality of childcare services in South Australia, the challenges remain significant. The increased oversight and compliance actions are essential steps toward ensuring the safety and well-being of children in the state’s childcare centres. The collaboration between regulators and providers like Edge Early Learning is crucial in addressing these concerns and meeting national standards.
