Safety standards at Victorian childcare services drop despite rising fees

More than 660 Victorian children were locked out or unaccounted for across the state’s childcare services last financial year, with more than 6100 serious incidents reported, a shocking new report has revealed.

More than 4600 children were injured, became ill or experienced trauma while in childcare.

More than 660 Victorian children were locked in or out of childcare services, were taken away or unaccounted for last financial year, shock new figures on the state’s crippled early childhood sector show.

Another 4647 children were injured, became ill or experienced trauma while in care, with emergency services called to childcare services 834 times in 2023-24, the Productivity Commission’s report on government services revealed.

This is despite government funding nearly tripling over the past five years with Victorian childcare centres and services receiving $1.5b, up from $500m.

Victorian parents are also paying some of the highest fees in the nation for care that’s rarely open outside office hours and are among some of the lowest rated in the country.

In total there were 6142 serious incidents at approved childcare centres, family day care, before and after school care and preschools across the state.

Meanwhile, there were four times more incidents at long daycare centres than in family day care or school-age care.

Kids scaling a daycare centre fence at Only About Children in Eynesbury. Picture: Supplied

Only About Children in Eynesbury was one centre that was probed by the state’s peak early childhood regulator in this period, following a spate of incidents involving children.

This included one girl being hit, punched and kicked by her peers while in the centre’s care, a boy cutting a chunk of his hair with scissors after being left unsupervised and children using play equipment to hoist themselves above fences.

Meanwhile, Goodstart Early Learning Centre on Arcadia St in Carrum Downs was also under investigation in February last year, after a staff member “forcefully” picked up three young children.

The rate of serious incidents has soared from 156 incidents per 100 approved services in 2017-2018 to 220 incidents per 100 approved services in 2023-2024.

There were also 5755 confirmed breaches – where providers or supervisors failed to abide by legislation, regulations and conditions – at Victorian childcare services.

Such breaches included providers failing to meet the staff to student ratio, rules around safely storing food and medication, lack of communication with parents and equipment not meeting child safety standards.

In one instance, it took Aurrum Kids Ballarat Childcare an hour to notify a parent their two-year-old toddler had escaped in June last year.

In the past five years, childcare services have increased from 3134 in 2020 to 5267 in 2024.

In total, 231,000 children aged under six are now in childcare centres, with 66 per cent of three-year-olds in some form of formal care.

The rate of serious incidents has soared 220 incidents per 100 approved services in 2023-2024.

The Report of Government Services also showed safety was declining despite the cost of care going up.

The median weekly cost for 50 hours of care was $679 a week (before subsidies), up from $520 10 years ago.

This was higher than the national average ($668) and second highest in the country after ACT ($760)

After subsidies, parents with two children pay $1500 a year on care in Victorian long daycare centres, but this rose to $12,425 for those earning $175,000, as much as $41,250 for those on $375,000 and $64,935 for those on the top rate of $555,000.

The report showed only 43 per cent of centres opened before 7am while 2 per cent opened after 6.30pm. Just 1.9 per cent opened on weekends.

Meanwhile, 86 per cent of childcare services in Victoria had a quality rating – the lowest in the country and less than the national average of 91 per cent.

As of June 30, 2024, two centres had a national quality rating of “significant improvement required” – including Maria Montessori Pre School and Early Learning Centre – and 223 were “working towards” meeting standards.

The latest figures showed one in five children was developmentally vulnerable – a figure that has not changed markedly in recent years.