Preschooler safety levels plummeted
Black year in 2016 as child died and record 163 complaints against educators upheld
AMinistry of Education report has confirmed 2016 was a tragic year for New Zealand’s preschoolers, with one child dead and a record 163 complaints upheld against early childhood educators.
Among a spate of accidents in November 2016, 4-year-old Aldrich Viju died on a slide at Angels Childcare in Takapuna days after four children were hit by a falling tree at Discoveries Educare in Newmarket.
Complaints against both centres were among the 163 complaints upheld in 2016 — up from 79 when complaints were first reported in 2013, 106 in 2014 and 104 in 2015.
The ministry’s report on 2016 complaints was published yesterday, four months later in the year than its 2015 report, which came out in December 2016.
But for the first time, the latest report lists details of all 331 complaints received, although no centres are named.
It says the centre where the child died on a slide, which was known to be Angels Childcare, was placed on a provisional licence while police and Worksafe investigated, but neither agency pressed charges.
Centre owner McCloughen told the Herald last year that Aldrich Viju was sliding down a plastic slide with a stilt — a child’s walking toy held together with cord — when it got caught.
Worksafe looked at the equipment in the playground to determine whether it was faulty, but investigators told McCloughen there was no foreseeing that wearing stilts on a slide could be deadly.
However Worksafe is prosecuting two parties in relation to the falling tree at Discoveries Educare. A Worksafe spokeswoman said a first court appearance had occurred and the prosecution was continuing.
Other accidents where complaints against centres were upheld included:
A child broke a leg falling off playground equipment. The service was placed on a provisional licence and was asked to review its procedures for responding to injuries. It gave full first-aid training to all staff and regained its full licence, but the child’s family took the child out of the centre.
A child was “found unresponsive” but staff failed to call an ambulance and rang a parent. The centre manager left the service, the centre was told to do a full review of emergency procedures and was given training.
A child “received a number of serious injuries”. The adult concerned left the service.
A child fell from play furniture and broke an arm. The service “strengthened health and safety practices”.
Children were hurt on play equipment. The centre made the structure more stable and later removed it.
A 14-month-old with food allergies was taken to hospital with breathing difficulties. The doctor said it was “highly likely that she had been given the wrong formula”. The centre made “changes to strengthen and align policies and practice”.
A child was badly hurt in a stair fall. The ministry found “incomplete staff and room rosters” and required changes.
A staff member was alleged to have abused children physically and verbally and was dismissed. The centre was placed on a provisional licence until its procedures and systems were reviewed.
In other cases, children were found walking out of centres and more secure gates had to be installed.
In one case, a centre was referred to police after a child left a centre “unattended”.
Another complaint was upheld against a centre which did not inform a parent after a child told a teacher of sexual abuse.
“Abuse continued until child informed parent months later,” the report said. “Child received counselling and perpetrator arrested.”
The ministry cancelled 23 services’ licences, placed 23 others on provisional licences until changes were made, and suspended one licence.