The Fun2Learn center located in Rosehill has closed permanently following the discovery of numerous regulatory breaches.

Families of the 37 children attending the center were notified about the closure in mid-December.

Acting Early Learning Minister, Courtney Houssos, commented, “This should not be unexpected for the center, given their 12-year history of failing to meet standards.”

Even though no severe child safety incidents were reported, the Early Learning Commission is unapologetic about its strict enforcement actions against providers.

“We are determined to restore parents’ trust so they can feel assured that childcare centers offer a safe and high-quality environment for their children,” stated Houssos.

Among the 41 breaches since 2023, authorities claim they found an emergency exit door at the centre padlocked shut.

Unlabelled chemicals were lying around in children’s bathrooms and there was no appropriate plan for children with severe allergies.

Other breaches included consultants without proper working with children checks, children playing with dangerous objects and poor hygiene in the centre.

When 9News spoke to the owner this morning, she was distraught, adamant that she would never put a child at risk and that she was working on a continuous improvement program – one that had been set down by the department.

Fun2Learn is the first to be closed under new tougher regulations, but between July 2024 and the end of September last year, 22 other centres were shut for breaches.

The minister said the department would work with families to find an alternative.

“We know that it can be really difficult to find a place but we have to balance that against the responsibility we have to ensure that children are safe,” she said.