Edge Early Learning Centre in breach of multiple national regulations, rules on Gold Coast

A Gold Coast early learning centre has been hauled over the coals after serious breaches including calling a furious mum’s ex - who was not the father - to pick up her child. FULL STORY

Edge Early Learning child care centre in Elanora has been found in breach of national laws and regulations. Picture: Future Urban

A national early learning giant has breached child safety laws by phoning a Gold Coast mother’s ex - who was not his father - to pick up her son.

It was one of multiple disturbing stuff-ups by the Edge Early Learning Centre on the Gold Coast which breached multiple Education Queensland laws and regulations, a Queensland Early Childhood Regulatory Authority investigation found.

The investigation into the centre - among 69 Edge centres nationally and one of a dozen on the Gold Coast - found:

- an enrolment system failure to enter her child’s details correctly resulting in her ex-husband, who is not the father, being listed as an authorised nominee and contacting him to collect the child;

- a failure to store prescribed information on the child at the service;

- and the centre using a pen to circle birth marks and skin tags on her child’s body “he has had since he was a baby” and inferring “he had ring worm”, found to be a breach of National Regulation Interactions with children.

The investigation outcome in early November revealed six national law and regulations breaches.

The investigation found the childcare centre contacted the mother’s ex-husband, who has no relation to the enrolled child, to collect the toddler from the service.

An Edge Early Learning child care centre on the Gold Coast has fallen foul of the sector watchdog after a mother complained about multiple breaches. Picture: Future Urban

The investigation followed a complaint by the mother to the Queensland Early Childhood Regulatory Authority.

The child’s mother told the Bulletin: “The kindy has rung him to come and pick [my toddler], he’s not the father, there’s no relation whatsoever.

“He’s not someone authorised to pick [my child] up from kindy or be contacted,” she claimed.

The investigation decision noted: “The matter you raised concerned your ex-husband, being contacted about your child relates to s167 Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards and National Regulation 181 confidentiality of records kept by approved provider.

“The investigation established that the services electronic enrolment systems failed to enter your child’s accurately, resulting in your ex-husband being listed as an authorised nominee on your child’s enrolment record and the service contacting your ex-husband to collect your child,” the report read. “Based on the evidence, breach of both s167 and r181 were substantiated.”

The toddler’s actual father and woman’s current partner said he instead went to pick up his son - after it emerged the mother’s ex-husband had been contacted - and when he arrived, found him covered in pen.

A popular early learning centre on the Gold Coast has been found to have substatially breached a number of National Laws andRegulations set by Education Queensland. Picture: Supplied

“They flipped up his shirt in front of all the other kids, and there’s pen marks all over his body,” he said.

“Probably 10 to 15 pen marks, and they’ve circled a birthmark on his rib, then these little skin tags. Other educators from [the child’s] previous rooms know all about it, they changed his nappies for the last two years, and it’s never been an issue,” he said.

“They said, ‘He can’t be here any longer until you get medical clearance’ and so I had to take him to the doctor,” the father said.

The furious mother added: “I phoned the (centre) and said, I need an explanation as to why my ex-husband was contacted, and why you think it’s okay to draw on a (child under five).

She claimed: “That conversation was extremely poor, she questioned me, inferred I had filled out the forms wrong and that I didn’t know the difference between my children’s fathers,” she claimed.

The mother claimed the (centre) failed to pull up her child’s enrolment forms when requested.

“I said, ‘That can be resolved quite quickly, pull up the enrolment forms I filled out, and there will be no record of my ex husband on there,” she said.

“He is of no relation to [my enrolled child], and I would never put him on there.

“My older children went to that daycare and they’re my ex-husband’s but they’re not currently enrolled, haven’t gone for years but he’s listed as a contact for them,” she said.

“They didn’t update their systems, my older children have a completely different surname,” she said.

Also circled, was a birthmark - considered a potential infectious disease - that the child has had for the last two and a half years of attending Edge Early Learning. Picture. Picture: Supplied

The Outcome of Investigation report to the mother who shared it with the Bulletin revealed: “The investigation established your child had recently transitioned from one room to another. Information about your child was not communicate[d] between staff, resulting in a staff member raising concerns that your child’s birth marks and skin tags were potentially an infectious disease.

“A breach of National Regulation r155(c) was substantiated. In addition, quality improvement recommendations were provided to the approved provider of alternate first aid strategies for such a scenario,” the report read.

“The investigation established the service was unable to provide a copy of the

enrolment record that you completed,” the report read.

“Prescribed information was not observed to be stored on your child’s file at the service.

The Department of Education wrote the service will continue to be monitored to ensure standards are being met,” the report said, adding action had been taken against the provider aimed at “bringing the service into compliance”.

“This includes requiring the Approved Provider to evidence steps they have taken to ensure the service has systems in place to ensure enrolment records are accurate and retained for the prescribed time stipulated...and ensuring the Approved Provider has taken reasonable steps to ensure staff follow service policies and procedures relating maintaining the rights and dignity of children and enrolments,” the report read.

An Edge Early Learning spokesperson said it highest priority was safety and trust of client families.

“Our partnership with families relies on the accurate and timely sharing of details about their children and relevant circumstances,” they said.

“This information is essential for our staff to deliver consistent, high-quality care and support.

“The Department of Education has confirmed all identified issues have been fully addressed, reaffirming our commitment to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for every child in our care.

“We have been actively engaging with the family involved to address their concerns and provide support.”

An Education Queensland statement said: “Queensland’s Early Childhood Regulatory Authority does not comment on the details of individual compliance matters, but we can confirm an investigation was undertaken in response to a complaint.

“The outcome has been provided to the service to ensure appropriate

steps are taken to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all children at all times.”

Originally published as Edge Early Learning Centre in breach of multiple national regulations, rules on Gold Coast