Providers are reassuring parents after Illawarra childcare services were named in a non-compliance register. Photo: Nadezhda1906.
A compliance crackdown on Illawarra childcare services has seen 10 providers receive notices of non-compliance in the last quarter of 2025, with reasons including inappropriate discipline and offences relating to protection of children from harm and hazards.
Regulatory authorities have reported entering into an “enforceable undertaking” with a person from a Shellharbour childcare centre due to reasons regarding inappropriate discipline last October.
The register for enforcement actions between October and December 2025 revealed action taken against a person from MindChamps Early Learning Shellharbour which required the person to set out in writing what they will do or refrain from doing to comply with the national law and regulations.
The reason for the action, which is the only one of its kind listed in the region for the reporting period, was due to non-compliance with national law 166(3)(b) – offence to use inappropriate discipline, which is listed within NSW legislation as “a staff member of, or a volunteer at, an education and care service must not subject any child being educated and cared for by the service to (b) any discipline that is unreasonable in the circumstances”.
A MindChamps spokesperson said the provider took its responsibility to provide the best education and welfare with “utmost diligence and zero tolerance of non compliance”.
“MindChamps’ philosophy puts children first thus we do not tolerate any educator who does not practise our positive guidance education approach, despite constant trainings,” the spokesperson said.
“While we are deeply committed to nurturing every unique child’s fullest potential, however the reality is educators who are with children throughout the day could at times, due to their own personal matters which may cause their emotions to be out of balance and respond inappropriately, despite all the stringent child safe recruitment process including background checks that exceed the minimum requirement, child safety training and reminders.”
An emergency action notice was issued to Dapto Montessori Academy on 13 November, as “an education and care service is operating in a manner that poses, or is likely to pose, an immediate risk to the safety, health or wellbeing of a child or children being educated and cared for by the service”.
The area of non-compliance reason listed on the register was ‘Law 167 Offence’ relating to protection of children from harm and hazards.
Little Peoples Early Learning Centre on Habeda Avenue in Horsley was also issued an emergency action notice on 5 December with a non-compliance area listed as an offence to fail to display prescribed information.
Three other centres run by Little Peoples Early Learning received compliance notices, including at Wollongong, Brooks Reach and Oxford Multicultural Childcare, all of which were issued multiple notices throughout 2025.
The Wonder Approach also received a notice on 17 November for non-compliance with more than 60 regulations and five laws, the majority relating to procedures, records and assessments; but due to the family daycare model of the provider, these arose from visits to dozens of individual educators rather than a single established centre.
“It is important to note that we operate within the family day care model, where individual educator practices are assessed within a broader service framework,” Marie Smith from The Wonder Approach said.
“In some instances, administrative or documentation-based matters may be recorded across multiple educators, even when they relate to a single area of interpretation or compliance.
“At this time, the minor matters referenced remain under review and are subject to ongoing correspondence with the regulatory authority. As such, it would be inappropriate to comment on specific details while this process continues. There is no open case in regards to child safety.”
She confirmed that immediate action was taken following the visit to review all identified areas and rectify any documentation concerns as well as a comprehensive internal audit of policies, procedures, and educator documentation.
The notice was issued after 17 years without a recorded breach. Ms Smith reassured families that safety, wellbeing and the education of children was their highest priority.
“At no time were children placed at immediate risk. Regulation breaches may be recorded without full context, and their scope can vary significantly from minor administrative matters to more serious concerns,” she said.
“This does not mean that we take the breaches lightly; it is always an opportunity to learn more.
“We maintain rigorous supervision, risk assessment and child-safe practices across all environments.
“We are a service led by experienced teachers and strong pedagogical leadership, committed to continuous improvement.”
Other services which were issued compliance notices include Little Zaks Academy in Corrimal, Thirroul Preschool Centre and Play Base Early Learning Centre in Dapto.
“These were minor incidents with no adverse outcomes,” a Play Base spokesperson said.
“Our small, family-run centre prides itself on providing a safe and caring environment for our children. Their safety remains our highest priority.
“All requested actions have been completed and we continue to work closely with regulatory authorities to ensure ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.
“We have comprehensive policies, procedures, and supervision practices in place and all staff complete regular training.”
To view the register of enforcement actions visit the NSW Education website.
All providers were contacted for comment.
