Cranbrook State Primary School P&C Association Inc has been fined $50,000 following allegations of an educator engaging in inappropriate interactions with children while they were in the care of the Cranbrook Outside School Hours Care service.
No conviction was recorded.
The Department of Education, as the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority, took action to cancel the provider approval in March 2025, but also commenced legal proceedings against the service's approved provider.
Cranbrook State Primary School P&C Association Inc pleaded guilty to 6 charges:
- 1 breach of section 165(1)—Offence to inadequately supervise children
- 1 breach of section 167(1)—Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards
- 2 breaches of section 174(2)(c)—Offence to fail to notify certain information to the Regulatory Authority
- 1 breach of regulation 86—Notification of parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness
- 1 breach of regulation 170(1)—Policies and procedures to be followed.
The fine of $50,000 reflects the seriousness of these offences and the fundamental responsibility of approved providers to ensure children's health, safety and wellbeing. While penalties under the National Law have recently been substantially increased as part of National Child Safety Reforms, this increase does not apply retrospectively, and the penalty imposed by the magistrate reflects the penalties in place at the time the offending occurred.
On 11 February 2026, in deciding the defendant's sentence, Magistrate Richard Lehmann considered the protracted nature and seriousness of the defendant's offending, noting that the defendant's failure to adequately supervise children meant harm to children was able to continue.
Magistrate Lehmann acknowledged that while the defendant's failings were not deliberate, the defendant lacked the skills and knowledge to adequately respond to the children's disclosures of harm. He emphasised that in taking on a role in the education and care of children, albeit voluntary, the defendant should have ensured it had the expertise to appropriately comply with regulation and law to ensure the protection of children.
The Regulatory Authority will continue to work with the early childhood sector to ensure services are able to identify, address and report any inappropriate conduct by individuals toward children in education and care.
Child safety is of paramount importance and is being strengthened through updates to the National Quality Framework resulting from the Child Safety Review, as well as Queensland's Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme. Child safety is one of the Regulatory Authority's
key priority areas for regulation.
Approved providers play a vital role in creating child safe environments, from recruitment onwards. If an Approved Provider's steps to ensure children's health and safety are inadequate, the Regulatory Authority will not hesitate to take appropriate action.
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