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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Canberra childcare centre closes suddenly, worker sacked

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A Canberra childcare center, Edge Early Learning in Higgins, has closed immediately following a serious incident involving a child's medical episode.
  • A staff member has been terminated, and others are under investigation.
  • Families were previously informed the center would close for months, but the regulator mandated an immediate suspension until August 13.

Edge Early Learning's childcare center in Higgins, Canberra, has been abruptly shut down by regulators after a serious incident involving a child's unexpected medical episode on June 26. Families received an email on Thursday informing them of the immediate suspension, issued by the ACT's Children's Education and Care Assurance (CECA).

The immediate suspension relates to an incident that occurred at Higgins on 26 June, involving a child who experienced an unexpected medical episode.

— Chris ChambersCEO of Edge Early Learning, explaining the reason for the center's immediate closure in an email to families.

Edge Early Learning CEO Chris Chambers stated in the email that while the child involved is recovering, the response from educators to the medical incident was 'completely unacceptable.' The company has since suspended educators pending a full investigation. One staff member has been terminated, with investigations into other educators expected to conclude next week.

While we are pleased that the child is OK, I want to be very clear that the educators' response to the incident was completely unacceptable.

— Chris ChambersCEO of Edge Early Learning, commenting on the educators' actions during the child's medical emergency.

The center is required to remain closed until August 13. This sudden closure follows a previous announcement to families that the Higgins center would be closed for 'the next few months' as operations consolidated into other Edge Early Learning locations in Canberra. ACT Early Childhood Minister Yvette Berry acknowledged the incident as 'serious' and expressed understanding for parents' concerns and feelings of being let down.

The investigation into the other educators is expected to be completed next week.

— Chris ChambersCEO of Edge Early Learning, providing an update on the ongoing investigation into staff involved in the incident.

Chambers apologized to families for the unexpected closure and the disruption to their childcare arrangements. The ABC has not independently verified the details of the medical episode. Edge Early Learning has a documented history of compliance and child safety issues across its centers.

I think parents and families will be feeling a range of emotions and I understand that. On this occasion, they will feel let down and will have some serious concerns about the safety of their children, I understand, going forward. But we'll support them where we can.

— Yvette BerryACT Early Childhood Minister, responding to the incident and acknowledging parents' potential distress.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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