Inner West Council and Joni Dunn face court over alleged child care bungle at Stanmore Public School
Department of Education investigators will allege children at an out-of-school-hours child care program run by Inner West Council wandered off the premises under the nose of workers, getting as far as the local shops.
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Inner West Council and a childcare worker at the centre of an alleged bungle which saw children wandering off an after school care facility have faced court for the first time.
The worker, Joni Dunn, and council are facing charges over a number of incidents at the Stanmore out of hours school in which the Department of Education alleges that children under their care had left and got as far as the local shops.
The program was run by Inner West Council out of Stanmore Public School at the time, however, it is now run by a private operator who is not involved in the current proceedings.
Both council and the individual are facing maximum total fines of up to $34,000 if convicted of all the offences.
Dunn’s lawyer Maria Walz told the Newtown Local Court on Tuesday that “discussions were ongoing” between the parties over a potential plea deal.
Dunn was not present at the short court mention.
Inner West councillors were dismayed at only having found out about the case against it in June.
Councillors were briefed in a confidential session over the incidents two months after the charges were filed.
Both Dunn and Inner West Council are facing five charges alleging they exposed children to harm and did not adequately supervise them.
Inner West Council has previously declined to comment on the case when asked a series of questions “while the matter was before the courts”.
The case will return to the Newtown Local Court on August 20.
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