Two tiny children ‘escape’ Queensland daycare centre

A Queensland childcare centre has responded after a fuming post and photo of two small escapees in the street sparked a social media storm.

Two children being taken back to the Bay Explorers centre in Urraween, Hervey Bay after reportedly being found in the street. PHOTO: Peta Michelle

A Fraser Coast childcare centre has described the escape of two tiny children as a “one off”.

It comes after a fuming post by a local resident alongside a photo of the two children being led back to the Bay Explorer’s Urraween centre by workers was shared to the Hervey Bay Community Noticeboard.

In the post, Peta Michelle wrote: “Absolutely disgusting. Are these your two kids? Thanks to my partner and I we managed to save your kids on Richard Charles Drive heading towards Main St”.

The woman went on to claim “plenty of other drivers” witnessed the incident and asked “how the hell did they escape the centre? How long before they noticed? As a parent of a lot of children I hope this centre notifies the parents of these kids … safety concern big time and I’m so bloody mad and they aren’t even my kids! These two workers came and eventually got them”.

In a statement to this publication on Thursday, Bay Explorers Early learning which caters for children aged six weeks to five said it would “like to acknowledge an incident that occurred at our service yesterday”.

“The experience was brief, and no one was harmed or upset at any time,” the statement read.

“We immediately notified the Department and loved ones, and we are collaborating on an investigation.

Bay Explorers Early Learning has responded to claims two children escaped the centre.

“We are very open to any improvements that we might need to make and will communicate this with our family community.

“Sharing details of the incident would break our regulatory commitment, and our families’ rights to privacy and confidentiality”.

However, the centre also claimed the social media post by the member of the public “did not uphold all children’s right to privacy while also misstating facts and implying far worse circumstances than what actually occurred”.

“Safety in childcare is paramount, as is earning the confidence of all parents whose children are in childcare,” the statement read.

“This incident is a one-off and has never occurred before, and the results of our investigation will ensure it never happens again.

“We’d like to share our heartfelt gratitude to our families and the local community who have been incredibly supportive.

“At the heart of childcare are professional, nurturing and kind educators who are dedicated to the care and education of children

“For them, any incident is upsetting but also creates a determination to continue to do their very best.”

Originally published as Two tiny children ‘escape’ Queensland daycare centre