A Ballarat kindergarten has been accused of inadequate supervision of children and other serious regulatory breaches under a state crackdown on kindergarten and child care providers.
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The Ballarat Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten at Mount Helen was one of two kindergartens subject to compliance orders in 2017 after investigations in to 1200 long day care, family day care, outside school hours care and kindergarten services last year.
According to the Department of Education, the approval of the Steiner kindergarten was amended “due to the serious nature of non-compliances” in relation to supervision of children, to meeting conditions on service approval, and in relation to notifying the regulatory authority.
Enforcement action was taken against the kinder on October 25 but no detail was available as to the conditions that regulators placed on the kindergarten.
Education department inspectors conducted more than 3200 visits to child care providers and kindergartens in 2017, including 2245 unannounced visits. More than 60 providers, mostly in long and day care, were found to have breached regulations.
Four providers had their service approvals cancelled and one suspended after investigations in to alleged breaches of the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010. Twenty two compliance notices were served regarding inadequate supervision, protecting children from harm and hazards, and misleading parents about service ratings.
Twenty providers were ordered to further train their staff or reduce the number of children allowed to enrol in their service.
“Quality education and care is what every young child deserves – we’re cracking down on those dodgy providers who fall short,” said Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos.
“The vast majority of our early childhood services do a fantastic job, but we want parents to rest assured action is taken if providers do the wrong thing.”
The state crackdown comes as the federal government this week released a register of child care centres caught rorting taxpayer subsidies and committing other rule breaches.
"This register should serve as a warning to providers that if you're non- compliant and do the wrong thing you will be hung out to dry," said Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham.
The Ballarat Rudolf Steiner Kindergarten could not be reached for comment.
