Investigations are under way after a three-year-old girl was injured by another child at Goodstart Early Learning Echuca.
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Investigations are under way after a three-year-old girl was injured by another child at Goodstart Early Learning Echuca, leaving her mother “heartbroken”.
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In a Facebook post, Claire Gaiter shared that her child was at the centre on Wednesday, February 4, when she received a call from staff in the morning about the incident.
Photos showed marks on the child’s head, neck and back, which the child could not explain to her mother as she is non-verbal.
Marks can be seen on the side of the child’s head, with other photos showing further bruising.
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Supplied
Ms Gaiter said staff seemed uncertain about how the incident occurred and told her CCTV footage was not available.
A Goodstart Early Learning spokesperson said both families were advised of the incident immediately and staff met with Ms Gaiter on Friday, February 6 to discuss the incident report and their initial response.
“We have apologised to the family of a little girl who was struck by another child with a plastic toy spade,” the spokesperson said.
“An educator saw the incident in the sandpit, but did not reach the children until the little girl had been struck by the toy.
“An additional educator was scheduled to begin work just after the incident occurred to support children who have additional needs.”
The spokesperson said staff comforted the child and administered first aid after she was struck and the centre had the correct educator to child ratio at the time.
An internal investigation has been launched and the centre has advised all families it is seeking to “learn all possible lessons” from the incident.
“As a not for profit, we put children at the centre of everything we do,” the spokesperson said.
“We are committed to working with the families involved to ensure their children have the appropriate ongoing support and care they need.”
A Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority spokesperson said it was aware of the alleged incident, where “a child sustained injuries and required medical attention” at the centre.
“VECRA takes all complaints seriously and has commenced an investigation into this matter,” the spokesperson said.
“As this is an active investigation, it is inappropriate to make further comment at this time.”
The authority started operating as Victoria’s new independent early childhood regulator at the start of this year, overseeing safety, quality and compliance in the sector.
Anyone with concerns about the safety of children in Victorian early childhood services can contact VECRA by phoning 1300 307 415.
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