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A Redland childcare centre that lost a child in the bush while on an off-site excursion in late 2024 has been fined $15,000 by the state regulatory agency.
Alex Hills Early Education, sitting on Windemere Road in Alexandra Hills, took the 23-month-old toddler off the centre grounds as part of a pre-arranged “bush excursion” on September 25, a Brisbane court heard.
The toddler slipped away from the group and was wandering unsupervised in bushland for 23 minutes.
A passer-by discovered the child, and returned them to the centre’s care.
The Early Childhood Regulatory Authority said the centre had failed on two counts – in one instance it had not properly supervised children in its care, and in the other it failed to protect them from harm or hazard.
The company that owned the centre, GA Holdings, pleaded guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Michael Holohan found Alex Hills Early Education had provided a risk assessments for the excursion that was “insufficient”, and did not cover all possible scenarios.
Holohan said risk assessments should be so robust that no child is placed at risk of harm.
He issued a fine of $15,000 to centre and ordered the company to pay $1750 in legal costs to the regulator, but did not record a conviction.
A statement from the Education Department – which oversees the state regulator – said the fine reflected the fact the child could have been seriously injured or died while left unsupervised outside the centre.
“If steps taken by an approved provider to ensure children’s health and safety are inadequate, the regulatory authority will not hesitate to take appropriate action,” the departmental statement read.
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