SA Education Department reveals 350 incidents, injuries at out of school hours care centres

Hundreds of shocking incidents – including alleged serious misconduct by staff – have been uncovered at out of school hours care centres across SA. See the list.

Noxious fumes, intruders and runaway kids are among hundreds of critical incidents recorded at South Australian out of school hours care centres.

Injuries or illness, violence with weapons including scissors and sticks and runaway or missing children were most common among the 350 cases recorded last year.

The tally is up from 230 in 2023, following a compliance blitz.

It comes at a time when the proportion of OSHC services in South Australia that are not meeting safety and quality standards is more than double the national average.

Of about 380 centres which have been rated across the state, 93 (or 25 per cent) are not meeting standards, compared to 12 per cent nationally.

About 29,000 children aged five to 12 use OSHC each week, representing one in six of the state’s primary school-aged students.

Education Minister Blair Boyer has previously conceded that the OSHC system requires “lifting quality across-the-board” and committed an extra $17m to the sector, including $7m for the independent watchdog, the Education Standards Board, to increase monitoring.

Education Minister Blair Boyer has committed an extra $7m to monitor childcare and after-school care centres. Picture: Emma Brasier

In response to the latest figures, Mr Boyer said there were “not necessarily more incidents, but more reporting from sites, which is my expectation”.

“Our blitz with providers is an important part of that,” he said.

“We are changing the culture so OSHC providers report incidents, so we can have appropriate oversight of what is going on, and continue to make improvements.

“Many incidents reported you would expect at OSHC when you get children off of devices and have them being active instead. But what is important is that OSHC services provide care and support in these circumstances.”

Data released by the SA Education Department, following a Freedom of Information request by The Advertiser, shows there were 37 reports of alleged serious misconduct by OSHC staff last year.

These included cases of suspected or alleged sexual or verbal abuse, violence, drug or alcohol use, possession or dissemination of child exploitation material and inappropriate behaviour.

There were another 13 reports of alleged minor staff misconduct, including inappropriate behaviour, breach of confidentiality and negligence.

There were also reports of intruders entering centres, stalking and harassment by parents, drug use by parents, violence by children towards staff or other young people and emergency incidents including fires and reports of “noxious fumes”.

In one case a snake was reported in an OSHC centre.

In many cases multiple issues were flagged under one report, bringing the total incident count to more than 430.

For example, in February last year an OSHC centre reported a case involving physical violence between children, and towards staff, as well as property damage and a child running away.

OSHC services were put under the spotlight as part of a 2023 royal commission into SA’s early childhood education and care system.

About 200 OSHC staff later received training to reinforce “what they need to be reporting and why”.

OSHC centre directors must hold at least a Diploma-level qualification in education and care.

The state government has also changed the requirements on other centre staff in a bid to make it easier to recruit.

Workers are now eligible if they hold a Certificate III or IV in education, care or disability.

The government is also offering a new qualification, Certificate III in Outside School Hours Care, as part of its fee-free TAFE program.

Originally published as SA Education Department reveals 350 incidents, injuries at out of school hours care centres