❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice inquires about childcare centre inspection frequency, procedures, and compliance measures, specifically focusing on the Tommie Turtle Childcare Centre and broader public confidence in childcare.
AnsweredQoN 4370Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How often are childcare centres required to be inspected?
(2) Are childcare centres forewarned of inspections, or are they conducted without notice?
(3) How many times did Department of Community Development (DCD) inspect the Tommie Turtle Childcare Centre during 2005 and 2006?
(4) Has DCD ever issued any correction notice or previously made any adverse findings against the Tommie Turtle Childcare Centre or its operators?
(5) What steps are taken by (DCD) to ensure that childcare centres do not breech their licensing conditions, their duty of care, or child protection laws?
(6) What steps is the Government taking to restore public confidence in childcare in Western Australia?
(2) Are childcare centres forewarned of inspections, or are they conducted without notice?
(3) How many times did Department of Community Development (DCD) inspect the Tommie Turtle Childcare Centre during 2005 and 2006?
(4) Has DCD ever issued any correction notice or previously made any adverse findings against the Tommie Turtle Childcare Centre or its operators?
(5) What steps are taken by (DCD) to ensure that childcare centres do not breech their licensing conditions, their duty of care, or child protection laws?
(6) What steps is the Government taking to restore public confidence in childcare in Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 March 2007
Responded by
Minister for Communities
Response time
125 days
(2) Child care centres may receive announced or unannounced visits. Announced visits usually occur at the time of a licence application or renewal. (3) The Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre in Huntingdale has received eight monitoring visits during the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2006 in addition to the investigation conducted in October 2006. (4) Prior to October 2006, the Department had recorded minor breaches during the period of the operation of the Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre. These breaches were rectified by the service. (5) The responsibility rests with the licensee to ensure that each licensed service complies with its legal obligations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit conducts visits to licensed child care services to monitor whether they are compliant with the licensing requirements of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the relevant regulations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit also responds to and where appropriate investigates complaints received about licensed child care services. (6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(3) The Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre in Huntingdale has received eight monitoring visits during the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2006 in addition to the investigation conducted in October 2006. (4) Prior to October 2006, the Department had recorded minor breaches during the period of the operation of the Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre. These breaches were rectified by the service. (5) The responsibility rests with the licensee to ensure that each licensed service complies with its legal obligations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit conducts visits to licensed child care services to monitor whether they are compliant with the licensing requirements of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the relevant regulations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit also responds to and where appropriate investigates complaints received about licensed child care services. (6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(4) Prior to October 2006, the Department had recorded minor breaches during the period of the operation of the Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre. These breaches were rectified by the service. (5) The responsibility rests with the licensee to ensure that each licensed service complies with its legal obligations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit conducts visits to licensed child care services to monitor whether they are compliant with the licensing requirements of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the relevant regulations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit also responds to and where appropriate investigates complaints received about licensed child care services. (6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(5) The responsibility rests with the licensee to ensure that each licensed service complies with its legal obligations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit conducts visits to licensed child care services to monitor whether they are compliant with the licensing requirements of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the relevant regulations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit also responds to and where appropriate investigates complaints received about licensed child care services. (6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(3) The Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre in Huntingdale has received eight monitoring visits during the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2006 in addition to the investigation conducted in October 2006. (4) Prior to October 2006, the Department had recorded minor breaches during the period of the operation of the Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre. These breaches were rectified by the service. (5) The responsibility rests with the licensee to ensure that each licensed service complies with its legal obligations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit conducts visits to licensed child care services to monitor whether they are compliant with the licensing requirements of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the relevant regulations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit also responds to and where appropriate investigates complaints received about licensed child care services. (6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(4) Prior to October 2006, the Department had recorded minor breaches during the period of the operation of the Tommie Turtle Child Care Centre. These breaches were rectified by the service. (5) The responsibility rests with the licensee to ensure that each licensed service complies with its legal obligations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit conducts visits to licensed child care services to monitor whether they are compliant with the licensing requirements of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the relevant regulations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit also responds to and where appropriate investigates complaints received about licensed child care services. (6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(5) The responsibility rests with the licensee to ensure that each licensed service complies with its legal obligations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit conducts visits to licensed child care services to monitor whether they are compliant with the licensing requirements of the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the relevant regulations. The Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit also responds to and where appropriate investigates complaints received about licensed child care services. (6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
(6) The Western Australian public are confident about the standard and quality of child care available in Western Australia as evidenced by the continued enrolment of an estimated 70,000 children each week in child care. In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
In October 2005 this Government provided an additional $3.6million over four years to the Department to improve compliance and enforcement capabilities. In January 2006 the Department established an Investigations and Prosecutions team within the Child Care Licensing and Standards Unit to investigate serious compliance matters at licensed child care services. That team was integrally involved with the investigation that took place at Tommie Turtle Child Care in Huntingdale. The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
The child care legislation and regulations that commenced on 1 March 2006 impose strict requirements on the operators of licensed child care services and impose a rigorous assessment process for licence applications. This includes assessing whether licence applicants, committee members of voluntary associations, company directors and nominated supervising officers are fit and proper people to be involved in the provision of child care. From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
From 1 January 2007 the Working With Children requirements will apply to the child care sector in Western Australia providing an additional level of scrutiny of staff employed in licensed child care services.
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