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🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

Mother furious after Canberra childcare centre ordered to close

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A Canberra childcare center, Edge Early Learning in Higgins, has been ordered to close for a month by the ACT regulator.
  • The closure follows concerns raised by parents over a year about safety, high staff turnover, and incidents involving children.
  • The regulator cited the center's failure to respond to a serious medical incident as a primary reason for the closure.

A Canberra mother expressed no surprise after a local childcare center was ordered to close, citing over a year of safety concerns for her daughter. Alison Sweeney, whose daughter attends Edge Early Learning in Higgins, stated she had felt unsafe with her child attending the facility due to persistent issues.

We've been having issues now for a couple of years with the centre, director after director, with the high staff turnover, and obviously incidents with my daughter.

— Alison SweeneyDescribing the long-standing problems at the childcare center.

Sweeney detailed several incidents involving her daughter, Blake, including wandering from the center, having her hair cut with adult scissors, and knocking out her front teeth on playground equipment. "She's now without teeth until her new ones come through, which shouldn't be until next year," Sweeney said, adding, "Do better. They've let an entire community down, and I just think it's appalling."

The ACT regulator, Children's Education and Care Assurance (CECA), issued Edge Early Learning in Higgins a notice to close for a month, until August 13. The closure is in response to the center's alleged failure to adequately address a serious medical incident involving a child. CECA is currently investigating various issues stemming from this incident.

It got to the point where I didn't particularly feel safe with her going to school each day.

— Alison SweeneyExpressing her concerns about her daughter's safety at the center.

Edge Early Learning's CEO, Chris Chambers, informed families of the abrupt closure via email, expressing disappointment with the regulator's decision. He confirmed that a staff member was terminated and others suspended pending an investigation into the incident, stating, "the educator's response to the incident was completely unacceptable."

She's now without teeth until her new ones come through, which shouldn't be until next year.

— Alison SweeneyDetailing a specific injury her daughter sustained at the center.

Sweeney noted a significant decline in care quality after Edge Early Learning took over from the previous operator, Little Penguins. The center's sudden closure has disrupted families, forcing some, like Sweeney, to take their children to work. The impact on children's friendships and educational milestones, such as graduation, is also a concern.

Do better. They've let an entire community down, and I just think it's appalling.

— Alison SweeneyVoicing her strong disapproval of the center's management and the situation.
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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