A Caloundra childcare provider has been fined $8,000 in the Caloundra Magistrates Court following an incident where a five-year-old child escaped a local care center unnoticed.

The incident occurred on February 21, 2024, at Kidspace Caloundra. The young child managed to exit through the front entrance of the facility, navigate the service’s car park, and walk down a busy public road. Members of the public eventually discovered the child, who had been missing for at least five minutes.

Following an investigation, the Department of Education—acting as the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority—initiated legal action against the service’s approved provider, Lynnette Olwyn Boulton.

The department pursued charges based on several critical regulatory failures, including:

In rendering her decision, Magistrate Catherine Benson noted that while Kidspace Caloundra did have formal safety policies and procedures in place, Ms. Boulton had failed to ensure that her staff were properly trained to follow them.

In addition to the $8,000 fine, which Magistrate Benson stated reflects the absolute seriousness of the offences and the fundamental responsibilities of childcare providers, the Department of Education was awarded $1,605.35 in court costs.

No conviction was recorded against Ms. Boulton, with the court acknowledging that she has since implemented corrective measures to prevent similar safety breaches from occurring in the future.

The Regulatory Authority reiterated its commitment to child safety following the ruling, warning the early childhood sector that it will not hesitate to take strict legal action if providers fail to meet health and safety standards.