The Fun2Learn center, located in Rosehill, closed permanently on Friday after authorities discovered numerous violations.
In mid-December, 37 families were informed about the center’s closure.
Acting Early Learning Minister, Courtney Houssos, commented, “The center should not be surprised by this outcome, given their failure to meet standards for over a decade.”
Although no severe incidents involving child safety were reported, the Early Learning Commission remains firm in its commitment to holding providers accountable.
Houssos added, “We will persist in our efforts to restore parents’ trust, ensuring they feel confident that childcare centers provide a secure and high-quality environment for their children.”
Since 2023, the center has been cited for 41 violations, including a padlocked emergency exit door, according to authorities.
Unlabelled chemicals were lying around in children’s bathrooms and there was no appropriate plan for children with severe allergies.
Other breaches included consultants without proper working with children checks, children playing with dangerous objects and poor hygiene in the centre.
When 9News spoke to the owner this morning, she was distraught, adamant that she would never put a child at risk and that she was working on a continuous improvement program – one that had been set down by the department.
Fun2Learn is the first to be closed under new tougher regulations, but between July 2024 and the end of September last year, 22 other centres were shut for breaches.
The minister said the department would work with families to find an alternative.
“We know that it can be really difficult to find a place but we have to balance that against the responsibility we have to ensure that children are safe,” she said.
