Nation high eleven WA childcare centres have been penalised for failing to meet national quality standards

Almost a dozen WA childcare businesses have been named and shamed for failing to meet national quality and safety standards. Eleven childcare businesses — including childcare centres, family daycare centres and out-of-school care facilities — were last week issued with compliance actions for failing to meet the National Quality Standards relating to the health, safety and education of children. Facilities in Mount Lawley, Rivervale, Innaloo, Leda, Noranda, Forrestfield, Woodvale, Dianella, Ellenbrook and Cooloongup all received warnings from the Federal Department of Education. Children Heaven Family Day Care, Little Rascals Out of School Hours Care and two Kinderpark Early Learning Centres were among those warned, with WA having the highest number of centres warned. It is the first time warnings have been issued under new legislation introduced last month that empowers the Federal Government to withdraw funding from centres failing to meet basic compliance checks. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last month said families had been let down by governments and regulators. “Clearly, governments, regulators haven’t done well enough in the past, but we are determined to make sure that parents can have the peace of mind that they deserve,” he said. Public trust in the childcare sector has crumbled after shocking revelations that alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown was able to work unheeded in 23 Victorian childcare centres, prompting warnings to more than 2000 families to test their children for sexually transmitted infection. Mr Brown has been charged with dozens of offences, including alleged sexual assault, producing child abuse material and contaminating food with his bodily fluids. The accused had a mandatory and valid working with children check, and the scandal has unleashed a wave of anger and shock among parents over what they see as a lapse in the screening system for childcare workers.