John Paul College Limited has been fined $15,000 after two 6-year-old children in the care of John Paul College Outside School Hours Care left the service premises unsupervised by staff and wandered away from the service. The children were later found by members of the public more than 2km away before being returned to care.
No conviction was recorded.
The Department of Education, as the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority, prosecuted the service’s approved provider after its investigation into the 18 October 2022 incident.
On 17 June 2025, John Paul College Limited pleaded guilty to 3 charges in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court:
- Section 165(1) of the National Law—Offence to inadequately supervise children
- Section 167(1) of the National Law—Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards
- Regulation 99(1) of the National Regulations—Children leaving the education and care service premises.
The fine of $15,000 reflects the seriousness of these offences as these types of incidents could result in a child’s serious injury or death.
Magistrate Michael O’Driscoll acknowledged the seriousness of the offences, but also considered the approved provider’s early guilty plea, lack of criminal history and cooperation with the Regulatory Authority.
Magistrate O’Driscoll also acknowledged that the children were unsupervised for more than an hour, that the lack of supervision resulted in them leaving the service, that it was only fortunate that the children were not injured, and that—but for a member of the public—they could have continued to be undetected.
This prosecution sends a strong message to approved providers that they have an overriding responsibility to ensure children are adequately supervised and protected from harm and hazard.
The department will continue to work with the early childhood sector to promote supervision and safe environments for children.
Incident prevention and management, which incorporates adequate supervision and risk assessment and management, is one of the Regulatory Authority’s
key priority areas for regulation.
If an approved provider’s steps to ensure children’s health and safety are inadequate, the Regulatory Authority will take appropriate action.