Canberra childcare centre temporarily shut down by regulator 'in the best interest of children'

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A childcare centre in Canberra will be temporarily shut down by the ACT regulator following a number of reports about breaches of child health and safety standards.

The ACT's regulator, Children's Education and Care Assurance (CECA), will shut down the Genius Childcare centre in Gungahlin from February 20 to March 5, citing the best interests of the kids.

Over the past fortnight, Genius has been suspended. During this time, they must demonstrate compliance with national legislation and provide guarantees that measures are in place to ensure ongoing adherence to the law.

"If CECA can't be sure the provider will follow the rules, further regulatory action might be taken," a CECA spokesperson said.

Genius Childcare operates over 30 centres nationwide, including five in the ACT, which it acquired in early 2024.

Over the past year, CECA has received 35 complaints, incident reports and statutory notifications about the company.

The Gungahlin centre got the most with 11 complaints, while there were eight at Gowrie, seven at Symonston, six at Conder and three at Bonython.

Regular risk assessments at ACT Geniuses' centres

The ABC has viewed a letter from Genius management sent to families last week advising them of the shutdown.

"To make sure your child's learning and daily routine keep going without a hitch, we're providing care at our Genius Symonston centre during this time," the letter said.

In a statement to the ABC, Genius said it raised concerns, like any other early learning provider.

"This can range from minor incidents such as a scratch to more substantial issues like reducing trading hours or shutting the centre due to rostering problems," a Genius spokesperson said.

We are working closely with the regulator and have brought in an independent expert to help the Gungahlin service review and improve its practices, making sure we continue to meet the highest standards of care.

CECA stated it's conducting routine risk assessments at all of Genius's ACT facilities.

The regulator said putting off the suspension till February 20 was meant to give Genius a chance to let parents know and help them make alternative arrangements for their kids.

Ongoing wage delays for education professionals

Childcare educators, who found out about the suspension through ABC enquiries, have been dealing with their own problems with Genius Education.

Last week, the Gungahlin shopping centre was shut down for three days when teachers refused to go to work because they hadn't received their pay.

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In late 2024, there was a mass exodus of educators from a Genius-run centre in Gowrie in Canberra's south, who claimed the company was consistently late paying wages and refusing to pay superannuation and annual leave entitlements.

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Problems across the country

The pay issue also made its way into the ACT Legislative Assembly, where it was revealed that the regulator didn't have the power to shut down centres without proof of child health and safety breaches.

Education Minister Yvette Berry is calling for a more robust national law to give CECA the authority to take action on matters that impact staff, not just kids.

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An urgent notice was issued due to non-compliance with regulations, including the "requirements for children's sleep and rest", "ensuring the premises, furniture and equipment are safe, clean and well-maintained", and the outdoor area to be "enclosed by a fence or barrier".

CECA also has the power to issue emergency warnings at ACT centres if a service is operating in a way that poses an immediate risk.

The regulator also said it could cancel a service if it found out that keeping it going "would be a risk to the safety, health or wellbeing of kids that's not acceptable".

It can also cancel a service if it doesn't fix breaches of compliance after a suspension.