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- READ MORE: Childcare forced to shut down in major crackdown
By SAM MCKEITH FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: | Updated:
A childcare centre has been suspended from operating for six months over alleged serious safety and compliance failures, as authorities continue a crackdown in the troubled sector.
Activities at Sunshine Kiddies Early Learning Centre in Bankstown, in Sydney‘s southwest, were immediately halted due to ‘serious breaches’ of quality and safety standards, the NSW Early Learning Commission announced on Friday.
The regulator last week struck off two other daycare services and suspended a third following a series of high-profile scandals in 2025 including allegations of sexual abuse, illicit restraints and low-quality meals.
Acting Commissioner Daryl Currie said key concerns prompting the six-month suspension of Sunshine Kiddies were inadequate supervision of children, failure to maintain educator-to-child ratios and not reporting child protection concerns.
The service also exposed children to harm and hazards, including leaving young children in a room without air conditioning during hot weather, the commissioner said.
‘While we understand the impact service closures have on families, we will not hesitate to take decisive action when children’s safety is at risk,’ he said in a statement.
‘We will continue our investigation, and this service will not reopen its doors to families unless all safety and quality concerns have been addressed.’
Authorities issued 22 closure orders in the first three months of 2025-26, up from 12 in the previous corresponding period, according to official data.
Sunshine Kiddies Early Learning Centre in Bankstown (pictured) has been suspended over serious breaches of quality and safety standards
The centre left young children in a room without air conditioning during hot weather, according to the NSW Early Learning Commission
The commission became a standalone agency in December.
In October, the NSW government, responding to calls for reform, overhauled state laws, increasing penalties, boosting transparency requirements and bringing in a mobile phone ban at the state’s more than 6000 early learning centres.
The federal government has also acted in the area, launching a website to name and shame non-compliant centres and passing reforms to strip childcare providers of funding if they fail quality, safety and compliance standards.
Productivity Commission data released in February showed serious incidents at federally-approved centres hit a record high in 2024/25, lifting to 160 incidents per 100 services.
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