A Western Australian childcare provider has been penalized with a $25,000 fine following a severe safety breach that left a seven-year-old child trapped inside a minibus during extreme 39°C heat. The incident occurred in March last year at Kiddo’s OSHC WA facility in Ellenbrook, Perth’s northeastern suburbs.
According to findings from the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), staff members failed to conduct mandatory checks upon arrival to ensure all children had disembarked from the 10-seater transport vehicle. The driver reportedly became distracted by a conversation with a parent outside the facility after parking the bus.
Approximately five minutes later, during routine roll call inside the building, staff discovered the child’s absence. Fortunately, an educator passing by the unattended vehicle heard distressed cries and knocking from within. The tribunal documented the child was found in the front passenger seat visibly traumatized, crying, and red-faced from heat exposure.
Subsequent investigations revealed critical staffing deficiencies, including improperly qualified educators and carers. The SAT determined the center systematically failed to provide adequate supervision and protect children from foreseeable harm.
Department of Communities Regulation and Quality executive director Angelo Barbaro emphasized the non-negotiable nature of supervision protocols. “There is no substitute for supervision,” Barbaro stated. “Services must be vigilant in checking processes and ensuring children disembark transport vehicles safely. When services fail to meet their obligations, we take decisive action.”
The service had been responsible for transporting students from 11 local schools to after-school care facilities, raising concerns about systemic safety practices across their operations.