A Batemans Bay childcare centre has been forced to shut its doors until March after the NSW regulator found there were serious concerns for children’s health, safety and wellbeing.
In an email seen by the ABC, the NSW Early Learning Commission contacted families on December 17 to let them know that the service approval for Surfside Kidz had been immediately suspended as part of an ongoing investigation.
On its website, Surfside Kidz is described as a licensed 46-place early learning centre that is a “welcoming and inclusive space” for children aged six weeks to six years.
In the email, the regulator said there was no current evidence of specific incidents that had caused children direct harm, but that there were “immediate concerns” about the level of risk that children were exposed to.
These concerns include poor supervision and staffing, maintenance issues and poor cleanliness.
“Based on the evidence available to us, we consider our decision to be appropriate and proportionate,” the regulator wrote.
Surfside Kidz is one of five regional childcare centres operated by Kidz Childcare Group. (ABC South East NSW: Toby Hemmings)
Surfside Kidz is one of five childcare centres listed as part of the Kidz Childcare Group, with other centres in Nowra, Singleton and Orange.
In May this year, Surfside Kidz was issued a compliance notice by the regulator due to failing to display prescribed information, failing to notify the regulator of certain circumstances and operating without a nominated supervisor.
Surfside Kidz and Kidz Childcare Group did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Christmas cancelled at centre
A local mother, who wished to remain anonymous, was getting ready for her three-year-old daughter’s Christmas party at the childcare centre the next day when the email landed in her inbox.
“Santa was arranged to come, so that’s why it felt so out of the blue,” she said.
Christmas decorations were left up outside the closed childcare centre. (ABC South East NSW: Toby Hemmings)
The seriousness of the email left her feeling shaken and like she was a “terrible parent”.
“You get mum guilt at the best of times, but this felt like we’d put our children at risk without actually being informed by the centre,”
she said.
No response from management
The local mother said the lack of response from centre management, other than one “very blunt message”, had left her feeling “shocked and disgusted.”
Parents and caregivers have been asked to find alternative care arrangements. (ABC South East NSW: Toby Hemmings)
“There’s been no communication,” she said.
Because her daughter only spends two days a week at Surfside Kidz, the mother has been able to arrange additional days at her daughter’s other childcare provider.
“A lot of working parents wouldn’t be in my position,” she said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the NSW Early Learning Commission said they understood the impact service closures had on families.
“However, the safety of children is paramount and we will not compromise on this,”
they said.
While she would not be sending her daughter back to Surfside Kidz, the local mother still wanted an explanation from the centre.
“Just tell us what the issue is so we can sleep easy,” she said.