Queensland approved provider fined $15,000 after toddler leaves bush excursion unnoticed

A Queensland approved provider has been fined $15,000 after a 23-month-old child left a bush excursion unnoticed and remained unsupervised for up to 23 minutes, in an incident that has reinforced the importance of supervision and robust risk assessment practices in early childhood education and care.

The approved provider of Alexandra Hills Early Education, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Education and Care Services National Law (Queensland) following an investigation by the Queensland Department of Education.

The incident occurred on 25 September 2024 during a bush excursion involving children from the service.

Information released by the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority, educators discovered a 23-month-old child was missing during a head count. The child had left the excursion group unnoticed and was unsupervised for up to 23 minutes before being located by a member of the public and safely returned to the service.

The approved provider pleaded guilty to:

• Section 165 of the National Law – Offence to inadequately supervise children.
• Section 167 of the National Law – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards.

On 8 June 2026, Magistrate Michael Holohan fined the approved provider $15,000 for the combined offences and ordered payment of $1,750 in costs. No conviction was recorded.

In sentencing, Magistrate Holohan found that the excursion risk assessment was insufficient and noted that risk assessments should be sufficiently robust to ensure children are not placed at risk of harm.

The court also acknowledged the provider's guilty plea when determining the sentence and the decision not to record a conviction.

The Department of Education said the penalty reflected the seriousness of offences that have the potential to result in serious injury or death.

The Regulatory Authority reiterated that approved providers have an overriding responsibility to ensure children are adequately supervised and accounted for at all times, including during excursions and other activities away from the service environment.

The prosecution also highlights the continued regulatory focus on outdoor spaces, supervision, incident prevention and risk management across Queensland's early childhood education and care sector.

For approved providers and service leaders, the case serves as a reminder that excursion risk assessments must be tailored to the specific environment, the age and capabilities of participating children, and the supervision strategies required to mitigate foreseeable risks.

The Department confirmed it will continue to take enforcement action where children's health, safety and wellbeing are placed at risk through inadequate supervision or insufficient risk management practices.

As the Regulatory Authority noted following the decision, when it comes to children's safety, it only takes a moment for a lapse in supervision to place a child at significant risk.

Read the full prosecution information here.