Feedback needed on NSW Coroner's Recommendations

March 14th, 2022 Latest News

It is extremely tragic that toddler Jack Loh died in 2019 at a family daycare service. He is the second child to have died at an early childhood education and care service in NSW since the introduction of the National Quality Framework on 1 January 2012.

NOTE: The other NSW child who died at an early childhood education and care service was in 2018.

The NSW Coroner's 105-page report has made 7 recommendations:

That family daycare educators must be required to undertake mandatory safe sleep training.
That family daycare educators complete the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care before they can commence as an educator.
That family daycare Approved Providers must undertake a risk assessment in respect of an educator’s implementation of sleep and rest policies and procedures.
That bassinets must be banned in all early childhood education and care settings.
That an applicant to become an Approved Provider (or persons with management and control):
- must have an approved Diploma level or teaching ECEC qualification; and
- must have at least three years ECEC experience; and
- must undertake a knowledge-based test conducted by the NSW Department of Education.
That family daycare services must maintain an up-to-date register of:
- the names and dates of birth of children
- the names and contact phone numbers of educators, coordinators and educator assistants
- the days and hours of care and number of children attending per session
- the relevant dates (for example, residence assessment date, educator commencement/end dates)
- the educators operating above ratio
- the Provider Digital Access numbers for family daycare Educators and Coordinators.
That the Federal Department of Education and NSW Department of Eduction must be able to share relevant information with respect to Approved Providers and family daycare educators.