State orders emergency closure of 56 Bambini Child Care locations

Authorities have ordered the interim closure of dozens of centres while compliance and sleep risk assessments are carried out following the death of a baby in Melbourne’s southeast.

Authorities have ordered the interim closure of 56 family daycare centres in Victoria following the death of a baby in Melbourne in late February.

The Department of Education confirmed to the Herald Sun that it had issued emergency notices on 56 centres throughout the state ordering their doors to be shut while compliance and sleep risk assessments were carried out.

All the day care centres were operating under the Bambini Family Day Care Services group and currently just over half have been assessed and have reopened.

The rest remain closed with no opening dates yet authorised.

The move to close the centres and investigate practices comes after a baby tragically died at a family daycare centre in Melbourne on February 19.

The scene where a baby died at a daycare centre last month. Picture: NewsWire

Police and paramedics were called to the residence where the daycare was located on Balinga Drive, Skye about 2pm on February 19 to reports of the child’s death.

A neighbour reportedly heard a loud scream in the minutes before emergency services arrived to find an infant dead at a childcare centre in Melbourne’s southeast.

The department confimred to the Herald Sun scores of centres had been shutdown after the death, it’s not yet clear how families attending the centres were informed.

In a statement provided to the Herald Sun a Department of Education spokesperson said: “The safety of children is our number one priority.”

“As a precaution, Victoria’s early childhood regulator has issued an Emergency Action Notice to Bambini Child Care requiring the service to complete sleep and rest risk assessments, check compliance with sleeping arrangements, and stop providing family day care until deemed compliant,” they said.

Playground at Bambino Juniors child care centre, more than half of the premises assessed have been reopened. Picture: Paul Loughnan

More than half of the premises have been “assessed as able to reopen to families”, the remainder have shut their doors until further checks are carried out.

“The regulator is working with Bambini to assess and confirm compliance at its FDC residences as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said.

Bambini has been contacted for comment.

Victoria Police have confirmed the death was non-suspicious and the matter had been referred to the coroner.

It’s understood the case has also been referred to WorkSafe for further investigation.

The Emergency Action Notice (EAN) to Bambini Child Care was issued on the 25 February 2025.

Last year more than 21,000 Victorian children that were enrolled in family-based daycare opposed to child care centres.

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

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