Baby goes missing from Sydney daycare centre for several hours

2 weeks ago 4

An investigation is underway after a toddler went missing for several hours from a childcare centre in Sydney’s south on Tuesday afternoon in a “nightmare” scenario.

The incident was discovered when the baby’s mother arrived at Bangor’s First Steps Learning Academy and her child was not there.

First Steps Bangor says it “provides childcare in a safe inclusive, welcoming, fun and nurturing environment”

The Herald can reveal staff at the centre were forced to review CCTV and call other parents to ensure they had the right child, leading them to discover that a grandfather who had come to collect their grandchild had been given the wrong child and didn’t realise.

The wife of the man who picked up the wrong child told this masthead that the child’s grandfather arrived when the children were sleeping and the room was dark.

“He came behind [the boy], he was asleep, and he’d got him out of the car,” she said through tears.

“He was struggling with the car seat. He didn’t really notice much different, because he doesn’t do the car seat that often, so his biggest thing was trying to [work out] the seat.

“When he got him home, he just snuggled into him and went to sleep, and he didn’t realise. He has the same ginger hair, and he had the dummy in his mouth, and [my husband] said, ‘He’s not well. He’s not himself’.”

The child’s grandparents had looked after him on Sunday, she said, and he had been teething and unwell that day.

“We’re devastated because we love that child, my husband is distraught.”

The NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority said it would conduct a “thorough investigation” into the “deeply concerning and serious incident” in a statement.

“We will not hesitate to act to protect children’s health, safety and wellbeing.”

First Steps Learning Academy was contacted for comment.

First Steps Learning Academy, which is licensed for up to 40 children daily, claims to “provide childcare in a safe, inclusive, welcoming, fun and nurturing environment for children 0 to 6 years” on its website.

“Our warm, friendly, and family orientated centre radiates character and love in every room! We strive for excellence in early childhood care and education in a safe, inclusive, welcoming, fun and nurturing environment.”

On its last inspection in March last year, daycare watchdog the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) rated the centre as meeting its criteria.

However, the accuracy of ratings has come into question after the Herald revealed one in six NSW childcare services hold a “secret” rating of high risk or very high risk – but families at these centres would have no idea.

A former employee at the centre, who spoke to the Herald on the condition of anonymity to protect their current employment, said First Steps “relies heavily on casual and agency staff, with a high turnover of workers.”

“I’ve never worked at more of a chaotic, disaster and emotionally draining service. I was constantly working with casual staff and no one knew the children as I was new to the business,” they said.

It comes at a time of profound scrutiny on the besieged early education sector, and revelations centres are continuing to operate despite having extensive compliance issues and breaches.

Last month Australia’s education ministers met to discuss child safety in early education and care.

They agreed to an $189 million childcare funding package, trialling CCTV cameras in up to 300 childcare centres to guard against abuse, and banning workers from using their phones on the job.

NSW Police are aware of the incident, but are not investigating.