Childcare centre forced to close after recording 126 breaches

In short:

Jenny's Kindergarten and Early Learning Centre in Bathurst has been ordered to close due to ongoing non-compliance.

The independent regulator says the centre has had 126 confirmed breaches since it opened in 2014.

What's next?

The centre will permanently close on October 13, and families will be offered support to find alternative care.

A childcare centre in the NSW Central West is being shut down after recording 126 breaches over a 12-year period.

The NSW Early Learning Commission has announced Jenny's Kindergarten and Early Learning Centre in Bathurst will permanently close on October 13 due to ongoing non-compliance and safety risks.

The independent regulator said it had given the provider, C & J Corporation Pty Ltd, two weeks' notice of its decision to cancel its approval to operate the service.

"The safety and wellbeing of children is our highest priority," commissioner Daryl Currie said in a statement.

"Despite ongoing support and opportunities for improvement, the persistent non-compliance of this provider left us with no choice but to take decisive action to protect the children in our care."

Jenny's Kindergarten and Early Learning Centre in Bathurst has been subject to 14 visits from authorised regulatory officers since it opened in 2014, and has since received 41 compliance actions and 126 confirmed breaches.

An investigation was launched in March 2025 after three children escaped from the centre and were spotted near a road by a passer-by.

"There is no current evidence to suggest that any child has been involved in a specific incident which has caused them direct harm," the regulator said in a statement.

"However, we remain concerned about the level of risk that children are exposed to at this service due to ongoing non-compliance by the provider, which has led to the cancellation decision."

Mr Currie said families were being offered support to find alternative care.

"We understand some families will be impacted by the closure of the Bathurst service, and we are committed to supporting them in finding safe, quality alternative care for their children," he said.

The Early Learning Commission said the provider was fined $9,240 in August for breaches relating to the premises, unsafe furniture and equipment, and exposed electrical cords.

It noted other key concerns such as a failure to protect children from sharp and pointed objects found in garden beds, and staff in possession of a personal device.

The regulator said it would continue to carry out unannounced visits and compliance checks over the next two weeks until the centre permanently closes.

The centre was advertising for additional staff in early September.

The ABC has contacted Jenny's Kindergarten and Early Learning Centre in Bathurst for comment.