Wow, they loose your child and offer a $7 discount to make up for it

[daydream**believer]

A GOLD Coast mother is outraged that staff at a childcare centre lost her five-year-old son, then offered her $7 discount by way of apology.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/gold-coast-mum-offered-7-discount-after-childcare-centre-...

WTF? Honestly, they would of been better off just giving the apology. Not billing her for the afternoon should of just been a given

[*elizabeths-mum*]

I just looked up a couple on the Gold Coast and the standard seems to be $14/$15 per session, but this company doesn't advertise their prices. 

[daydream**believer]

they probably only took $7.00 off to cover the one hour he was missing

[*elizabeths-mum*]

they probably only took $7.00 off to cover the one hour he was missing

How tacky would that be! 

[daydream**believer]

IMO no discount, refund or whatever you want to call it, would make up for this.

I think its insulting to offer $7.00 to make up for this huge mistake.

A heartfelt apology and a promise to train staff better and put in place better procedures to ensure this never happens again, would of been enough for me, but the $7.00 refund just makes it look like a trivial matter and it certainly was not

[punch*drunk]

My kids used to go to after school care. One night they sent my daughter home on the school bus, dropped her off at the end of our street and she had to walk up the hill by herself. She was in prep, luckily I was home, which I normally wasnt at that time. Cant imagine what she would have done if nobody was there?

They sent her home due to a miscommunication between the office staff redoing the bus roster, the teacher supervising the kids on the bus and the girls running the care. Not one of them thought to ring and check with me when their instructions didnt seem to match up...and none of them believed my 5yo who insisted that was the night she went to after school care, so she just did what she was told 😐

[chuk_77]

ratios are 1;15 when in the centre

ACECQA will now do an assessment and the service may possibly be fined high enough that they will no longer be viable.

staff may be also be shown to be in breach their duty of care, if that is the case they may all be fired including the nominated supervisor and provider, generally that is the governing council.

That is all worse case.

pThe simple fact is, it never should have happened. The rule is...there can never be enough head counts.

in the event of a missing child, it depends on indivdual policy but generally it goes, search the grounds then call emergancy contact one normally enrolling parent. Tell them you are ringing the police as it is a missing person case. All up perhaps 15minutes from, missing to police notified. At all times, emergancy contact is kept informed as is the nominated supervisor.

in regards to the $7.00 the more i think about it the more i think that is the amount the family pays after benefits as seven bucks wouldnt come close to one staff wage, never mind the daily costs of running an oshc. 

[crystal**flake]

I thought it was nice of them too offer the discount.

For the life of me I dont understand how anyone can think that the carers can look after so many kids, lets face it, its hard to keep an eye on two constantly.

I'm amazed that there are arent more missing or injured kids.

[chuk_77]

Ive never lost any of the kids in my care and have had one broken arm in close to 15 years in the industry.

maybe the difference is i have clear expectations of the staff, i have a great team and clearly defined safe play areas with the staff stationed in such a way everyone can be seen at all times. 

Its really not that hard to do.

yes we have wanderers and we staff for it.

we conduct risk assessments and if moving around the school in a group, have 1 staff at the front and 1 at the back, can see anyone taking a wrong turn then...oh and we head count...lots

[2106greencat]

It is pretty unforgivable and I really don't think there is any excuse that could make it any less so.

What if the child was - hit by a car, fell down a drain, was abducted, fell and hit his head, should I go on?? The list of tragic scenarios  is endless.

I for one hope that centre and those directly involved cop it to highest degree.

And to the poster who said - Maybe you get what you pay for 😮

[*elizabeths-mum*]

Thanks Chuk, as said I've not had anything to do with after school care so I wouldn't know what level of care or procedures was standard. The possible explanation about fees makes sense too.

And to the poster who said - Maybe you get what you pay for 😮

I made that comment and if you had bothered to read my further comment and look at the emoticon following that line I was merely querying that if you choose a childcare with fees half that of others in the area maybe you aren't going to get high staffing levels and well trained staff. I wasn't saying that abuse or neglect of the child was acceptable. That is the life. If you buy a shirt at Big W you aren't going to get one tailored at Savile Row.