Source : Perth Now news
The national crackdown on daycares and early learning centres has forced NSW authorities to shut another centre, this time in Sydney’s southwest.
The latest centre has been closed for six months because kids were left in hot rooms without airconditioning, there were sub-par educator-to-child ratios, and some child protection concerns were not reported.
The Sunshine Kiddies Early Learning Centre in Bankstown had been shut for six months over the findings, effective from February 11, the state government announced on Friday.
“Children’s safety must be the paramount consideration for the commission, approved providers, services and everyone involved in the sector,” NSW Early Learning Acting Commissioner Daryl Currie said.
“While we understand the impact service closures have on families, we will not hesitate to take decisive action when children’s safety is at risk.
“We will continue our investigation, and this service will not reopen its doors to families unless all safety and quality concerns have been addressed.”
The centre has been approached for comment.
NSW authorities cancelled the licence of two other centres and suspended a third last week amid a large tightening of national regulations last year.
One of the centres cancelled last week was the after-school care centre at the expensive International French School of Sydney.
The NSW Early Learning Commission also cancelled and suspended other services across Sydney late last year.
In August, the federal government announced a national early childhood educator register of all staff, mandatory child safety training, tighter safety rules, and strengthened compliance measures across the sector.
The crackdown includes a trial of CCTV in 300 centres nationwide, a ban on staff using personal mobile phones while on duty, and up to $189m in funding for the states and territories to implement the changes.
The national worker register and increased spot checks on centres were rushed into law in 2025 following the arrest of Victorian man Joshua Dale Brown.
Mr Brown faces 156 charges, alleging he abused 12 children while working at four childcare centres in Melbourne.
He worked at 23 childcare centres across the state between January 2017 and May 2025, and the lack of a worker register left Victorian authorities trying to piece together his sporadic work history.
