Fairfield childcare centres rated: worst and best revealed
New data has uncovered the Fairfield childcare centres with best practices and those that present an ‘unacceptable’ safety risk to children. SEE THE FULL LIST.
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Fairfield City’s 112 childcare centres have been graded, revealing it is home to some of the best and worst services in NSW.
Data from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority found 62 childcare centres either meet or exceed the national quality standard, but that 48 fell short of it.
And out of the 5484 childcare centres in NSW, a Lansvale facility was among six of the worst, while a Canley Vale centre was one of the 16 best.
The Department of Education – the NSW authority charged with inspecting the centres – said those working towards the national quality are still safe for children to attend.
“A centre awarded the ‘working towards’ rating is a safe education and care program with one or more minor areas for improvement,” a spokesman said.
“Centres that are lacking in certain quality areas are more frequently inspected that other centres.
“The department will continue to work alongside the service to ensure improvement in relevant areas is achieved.”
Magic Forest Early Learning Centre, a private-for-profit childcare in Lansvale, was rated as “significant improvement required”.
The rating, issued to just six childcares in NSW, indicates that it poses an “unacceptable risk to the safety, health and wellbeing of children”.
Early Childhood Australia called for the six centres with the lowest rating to be shut down if they could not immediately improve.
“We have concerns about any service getting a significant improvement required,” said Samantha Page, the organisation’s chief executive.
“Centres should not be allowed to operate as ‘significant improvement required’ for any length of time.”
Magic Forest Early Learning Centre declined to comment on the rating.
Just one suburb over was a childcare centre that earned the highest rating.
Lansvale Public School Preschool in Canley Heights was one of 16 centres to receive the coveted “excellent” rating.
A centre with this rating demonstrates “exceptional education and care, demonstrates sector leadership, and is committed to continually improving”.
Lansvale Public School Preschool did not respond to a request for comment.
Out of the 62 facilities in Fairfield City complying with the national standard, 39 were found to be meeting it and 23 were rated as exceeding it.