Revealed: Canterbury Bankstown childcare centres rated best and worst
Bankstown’s Uniting Dove Cottage Early Learning says their focus on putting children first is the main reason they have been highly rated by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.
The Express
Don't miss out on the headlines from The Express. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Uniting Dove Cottage Early Learning in Bankstown has been rated among the best in the state by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.
The authority rates all types of childcare centres according to the national quality standard. The centres are either working national quality standard (NQS), meeting NQS or exceeding NQS — which is reserved for the best performers. The worst rating is significant improvement required.
Uniting Dove Cottage Early Learning director Mele Lutui said they are delighted with the high rating which she put down to the close work the staff do with the community.
At the other end of the spectrum is Campsie’s Sun Child Care Centre which has been poorly rated, with the authority saying a “significant improvement is required.”
When The Express contacted Sun Child Care Centre for its response, the person who answered the phone, who did not want to be identified, said: “We have no problems and have no comment to make.”
Sun Child Care Centre was one of the six centres which received the worst overall rating of “significant improvement required”.
This means a service poses “significant risk to the safety, health and wellbeing of children”.
Of 5486 NSW centres, only 16 were given the highest rating of “excellent” while 1398 were “exceeding” standards and 2433 were meeting the national quality standard.
“We always look out for the children in our care and do what is right for them,” Ms Lutui said.
“We interact with the community and get feedback from the parents.”
Ms Lutui said the centre has around 40 children under its care from six weeks old to five years.
“We support the children and make them ready for school,” she said.
Other local childcare centres who have exceeded the NQS in Canterbury Bankstown include: KU Chester Hill, KU — Yagoona Preschool, Villawood East Public School, Sefton Infants School Preschool, Goodstart Early Learning, Bankstown, Bankstown South Infants, Sharma’s OSHC Punchbowl, KU Milperra Preschool, SDN Milperra Childrens centre, KU — Revesby Preschool, Revesby Heights Kindergarten, Revesby Uniting Church, KU Playford Park Children, Padstow, Panania Child Care Centre, YMCA Panania OSHC, Riverwood Public School, SDN Riverwood Children, Active Kids Narwee and Campsie OSHC Centre
According to the latest report 1304 NSW childcare service providers failed to meet the national quality standards.
The report said these centres are “working towards” the standard in one or more of seven categories including education, health and safety, or staffing.
The data looked at all types of care services from long daycare, preschools as well as before and after school hours care services.
Early Childhood Australia CEO Samantha Page said centres which scored the lowest rating should be shut down if they could not immediately improve.
The Department of Education — the NSW authority charged with inspecting the centres — said preschools which had been classified as “working towards” were still safe.
IN OTHER NEWS
“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.
Australian Childcare Alliance vice-president Nesha Hutchinson said those childcare centres rated in the worst category would be closely monitored by Department of Education experts to bring the service up to scratch.
RATINGS FOR ALL CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN CHILDCARE CENTRES
See the full list here: