Injuries commonplace for kids in care: study
Childcare centres are failing keep kids safe, with a staggering 22 per cent of kids seriously injured while in care, a new study has revealed.
The Canstar Blue survey, involving 700 parents, found serious injuries in addition to bumps and bruises are commonplace for children in childcare.
The news comes following an incident this week at a Virgin Active crèche, when two-year-old Eva Ness was left with bite marks, bruises and a black eye in an alleged attack by a boy aged four.
“About one in five [parents] told us their children had actually been seriously injured in childcare,” Canstar Blue’s Simon Downes said.
The survey found security and safety for their kids are top priority for parents.
But as parents dig deeper into their pockets to pay an average of $81 per day for childcare, they are demanding safer facilities and better educational activities.
“Parents are saying that ‘we pay $80 a day, we want our children to be taught to be educated as much as they are looked after’,” Downes said.
Sixty per cent of parents said they want staff to do more to educate children in childcare.
“They want to do activities based around play, where their children are learning about colours, the environment, all these things that really help their brain develop, help them grow and prepare them for their career, and just to go to school,” Daycare Decisions blogger Rebecca McIntosh said.
The two largest national childcare centres were assessed.
Goodstart Early Learning scored four out of five on value for money, five out five for quality and overall satisfaction.
G8 Education, which claims high quality care and education, scored two out of five on value for money, three out of five for quality of care and a high four for overall satisfaction. Heather Finlayson Goodstart Early Childhood Centres
“What parents are looking for from their early learning care centre is an individualised learning program for their child that's based on the most current knowledge of how children learn and what's important for child development,” Heather Finlayson from Goodstart Early Childhood Centres said.
“Literacy, numeracy, social, emotional and behavioural skills that they need for school and life.”
Overall, 84 per cent of parents are happy with their kid's child-care and believe the food served is of a healthy standard.
Virtually all parents are emphatic they do not want childcare qualifications lowered to make childcare more affordable.
