Only About Children: Rhodes childcare fined $14,000 over missing tot

One of the biggest childcare providers in Australia, with more than 60 facilities across the nation, has been hit with a significant fine over a child who went missing in its care.

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One of Australia’s biggest childcare providers has been hit with a $14,000 fine after a young boy wandered off its campus in Sydney’s inner west and had to be rescued by a member of the public in the middle of a busy commercial hub.

The Department of Education charged Only About Children Pty Ltd, who are based in St Leonards, after the ordeal at its Rhodes facility came to light in late 2017.

Only About Children has 63 facilities across Australia, with 42 in Sydney alone, and has previously been convicted of similar charges according to court documents.

The company is one of the biggest healthcare providers in the country. Picture: AAP/John Fotiadis

The same month a toddler managed to escape its care in Rhodes, the company was convicted of failing to follow policies and procedures under legislated guidelines and failing to secure the protection of children in the Waverley Local Court.

That incident involved a child who had a corrosive chemical splashed in his face while in the company’s care at Rose Bay.

The company has pleaded guilty to failing to adequately supervise children and was staring down the barrel at a maximum fine of $50,000.

The incident the department charged the company over this time around related to a toddler who managed to elude workers during the late afternoon rush, when children were being picked up by their parents.

The Rhodes family were only alerted after they had picked their son up, the court heard. Picture: AAP/John Fotiadis

Court documents tendered to Burwood Local Court in January reveal the young boy was unable to be located after a headcount on November 17, 2017 but was found about 20 minutes later running around a nearby industrial complex “alone in distress calling for his mother”.

At that point a member of the public stopped the toddler from running past a boom gate and onto a main road before taking the child back to Only About Children’s campus.

Court documents state workers at the centre only informed the boy’s parents about the incident after they had picked him up for the day.

Half of the $14,000 fine will go to the Department of Education, according to court records.

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