Preschoolers found at shopping centre after childcare escape

Randwick childcare centre issue compliance notice after children, 4 and 5, escape In short: A Sydney childcare centre has been issued a compliance notice after two children escaped the facility. The July incident saw the children, aged four and five, later found at a nearby shopping centre. The centre's director told the ABC that staff and families wanted to put the incident behind them. A Sydney childcare centre has been issued with a compliance notice after two children wandered off on their own and were found at a busy shopping centre. The preschoolers, aged four and five, were eventually intercepted by a member of the public who called the police. Officers returned the children to the Randwick childcare centre, where staff were unaware they were missing. On its website, Randwick Creative Childcare describes itself as a family-owned Montessori centre providing childcare and preschool education for children aged two to six. Yasmin Bakshi's three-year-old twins attended the centre two days a week. She was horrified when she read about the July 2 incident on an online parents' message board. "I couldn't actually believe it, it was really, really scary to think two children have escaped the centre," Ms Bakshi said. "You hear about these things on TV, you see them on the news but you never think it will happen to you." She said it was alarming to think that to reach the shopping centre, the two children, who were friends, would have had to cross four lanes of traffic on two occasions. "I can't get my head around it because if I see a child on a road crossing on their own, I would want to know who they are with," Ms Bakshi said. "I can't even imagine two children crossing the road on their own." Centre 'breached safety standards' In a message to parents, the childcare centre's director Elyse Rosa said the centre was reviewing its safety measures and increasing headcounts during the day. "This incident has had a significant impact on the children, families and educators involved," Ms Rosa wrote. Ms Bakshi was unsatisfied with the response and decided to withdraw her children. "I didn't feel my children were safe there. I didn't feel I could trust the centre or anyone there with my children,"she said. The incident was investigated by the NSW Early Learning Commission, which found the centre had breached safety standards. "The commission issued a compliance notice to the approved provider due to a lack of supervision and a failure to protect children from harm and hazards," a spokesperson said. "The commission is monitoring the service's compliance with this notice to ensure there is no further risk posed to the safety of children." The centre was required to install CCTV cameras and improve security at entry and exit points. Ms Rosa did not wish to comment when contacted by the ABC, saying that staff and the families involved wanted to put the incident behind them. The latest data from the childcare industry regulator shows a seven-fold increase in the number of NSW centres having their approval cancelled, with 174 services delisted in the April 1 to June 30 quarter compared with 20 in the same period last year. A total of 876 childcare providers were fined or sanctioned, double the number recorded in the same period last year. [Image text:] REATIVE CHILDCARE a montessori centre Long Day Care 2-6 years Government Approved Pre-School Program