Jenny’s Kindergarten in Gregory Hills ordered to close over serious safety concerns for kids
A childcare centre in Sydney’s southwest has been shut down by the regulator effective immediately due to serious concerns for children’s safety.
A childcare centre in Sydney’s southwest has been shut down by the regulator effective immediately due to serious concerns for children’s safety, with parents told to come and pick up their kids as soon as possible.
It is understood Jenny’s Kindergarten in Gregory Hills has been deemed non-compliant by the NSW Department of Education as the regulator of early childhood education and care services, and its approval to operate was temporarily suspended on Monday.
Parents reported on social media that they were told over the phone the centre was being investigated “due to a number of reported incidents” and to collect their child immediately.
A spokesperson for the NSW Regulatory Authority confirmed it was “investigating a number of serious incidents alleged to have occurred” at the centre.
“In our view, these incidents exposed children to unacceptable risk, and we have taken immediate action to address those risks,” the spokesperson said.
“As the investigations are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
The centre director, who declined to provide her name, told The Daily Telegraph the department had not reached a conclusion about the centre’s operational status and the “process is ongoing”.
The regulator’s concerns, she said, relate to “previous nominated supervisors” who are “no longer working with Jenny’s Kindergarten”, and that the service had resolved the issues raised in the months since.
“I have faith that this will all be cleared and that we’ll be reopened,” she said.
The centre had previously been issued a compliance notice “relating to protection of children from harm and hazards” on June 10.
Three other Jenny’s Kindergarten locations - Bathurst, Gosford and Emerald Hills - were also issued compliance notices between April and June.
The Gregory Hills service was previously rated as meeting National Quality Standards regulations by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.
ACECQA is an independent national authority that assists state and territory governments in administering regulations for children’s education and care.
The centre was described as meeting the standards in their most recent assessment in 2023, in a slight decline from their 2017 ratings in which they were described as exceeding standards for physical environment, relationships with children, collaborative partnerships with families and communities, and leadership and service management.
Just hours before the centre was shut down on the spot, the kindergarten had made a cheerful post on Facebook about encouraging teamwork and learning with friends.
Jenny’s Kindergarten is a small chain with locations in Bathurst, Campsie, Emerald Hills, Gosford, Gregory Hills, Hurstville, Lane Cove North, Leichhardt, Mortlake, Mount Annan, Narellan Vale, Oatley, Padstow, Riverwood, and Stanmore.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing or that any of the other Jenny’s Kindergarten locations are being investigated.
Originally published as Jenny’s Kindergarten in Gregory Hills ordered to close over serious safety concerns for kids
