One Year Old Given To Wrong Grandparent During Pickup At Sydney Early Learning Service

A deeply distressing incident at First Steps Learning Academy in Bangor, Sydney has triggered a formal investigation and widespread concern across the early childhood sector. On Monday afternoon, a toddler was mistakenly handed over to the wrong grandparent and taken home for several hours before being safely returned.

The child’s mother arrived at the centre only to be told her son had already been picked up. Security footage later confirmed that a grandfather of another child had unknowingly taken the wrong baby home. Emergency protocols were activated, and the child was eventually reunited with his family.

The grandfather didn’t realise he had picked up the wrong child because the handover process at the centre was alarmingly lax. According to reports, the educator mistakenly handed over the infant without verifying the adult’s identity or confirming the child being collected. There was no cross-checking of names, photos, or pick-up authorisation—basic safeguards that should be standard practice.

The grandfather, who was there to collect his own grandchild, was likely operating under the assumption that the child handed to him was correct. He was reportedly “equally disturbed” upon discovering the mix-up later. This suggests he had no reason to suspect anything was wrong at the time, especially if the child was of similar age or appearance.

Immediate Fallout

• The educator involved has been stood down indefinitely.
• Families directly affected were left traumatised, with former staff describing the event as “catastrophic.”
• The centre issued a public apology, calling the incident “deeply upsetting and isolated.”

Trisha Hastie, the approved provider of First Steps, stated:

“This has never happened before at Bangor, or at any of our other centres.”

She pledged to strengthen pickup procedures by rostering additional staff during peak collection times to verify identities and prevent future errors.

The NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority has launched a thorough investigation, which will include a review of the centre’s compliance history. Acting Education Minister Courtney Houssos condemned the incident as “completely unacceptable,” stating:

“While it is a relief that the child is safe and well, for something like this to occur clearly raises questions about the processes in place at the centre.”

NSW Police were notified but found no criminal offence, and no charges will be laid.

Centre Profile

• Licensed for up to 40 children aged 0–6.
• Rated as “meeting” national quality standards by ACECQA.
• Claims to offer a “safe, inclusive, welcoming, fun and nurturing environment” on its website.

This incident has reignited calls for:

• Mandatory identity verification at all handover points.
• Staff retraining in safeguarding and emergency protocols.
• Transparent incident reporting and restorative communication with families.
• Sector-wide audits to ensure compliance and rebuild trust.

This was not just a procedural lapse—it was a breach of trust. As advocates for child safety and educator well-being, we must treat this as a systemic warning. Every handover is a moment of accountability. When protocols fail, the consequences ripple far beyond the centre walls.

References:
Investigation Launched After Childcare Centre Gives Wrong Child To Grandparent
Families Traumatised After Children Mixed Up At Sydney Childcare Centre