The Western Australian Department of Communities says TheirCare Pty Ltd, the approved provider operating Floreat Park PS TheirCare, was ordered to pay $28,000 in penalties after two children became separated from their excursion group at Perth Zoo. The Department also ordered the provider to pay $2,000 toward legal costs, bringing the total to $30,000. Its announcement describes the incident and breaches but does not establish that the zoo was having its busiest day.
What happened at Perth Zoo?
According to the Department of Communities, on 30 September 2024 two children aged five and six became separated from their excursion group at Perth Zoo. A member of the public found them about 200 metres from the group, contacted TheirCare’s head office and informed a zoo staff member. The Department says an educator realised the children were missing after 10 minutes; they were reunited with the group shortly afterward. The Department’s announcement is the source for these incident details.
Why was TheirCare ordered to pay $28,000?
The Department says its investigation found two separate breaches by the approved provider. The penalties total $28,000; the additional $2,000 was for legal costs, not part of the penalty total.
| Amount | What the Department says it covers |
|---|---|
| $18,000 | Contravention of section 165(1) of the Education and Care Services National Law (WA) Act 2012, concerning inadequate supervision of a child. |
| $8,000 | Contravention of section 169(2), concerning failure to ensure an educator met the qualification requirements for their role under the national regulations. |
| $2,000 | Contribution toward the Department’s legal costs, additional to the penalties. |
The Department did not identify the educator who lacked the required qualifications. It said poor supervision, including by an educator without the required qualifications, greatly increased the risk of harm. Angelo Barbaro, the Department’s Executive Director, Regulation and Quality, said: “The safety of children in education and care services is dependent on continuous supervision by qualified educators.”
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Was it Perth Zoo’s busiest day?
The phrase “busiest day” is not substantiated in the Department’s penalty announcement: it gives no visitor total and does not describe the date as a record-attendance day. A 28 October 2025 report by Aussie Childcare Network says the excursion involved 12 children and links the crowd to a government-sponsored free-ticket scheme. Those are details from secondary reporting, not findings stated in the regulator’s release.
How does the Department handle childcare enforcement?
The Education and Care Regulatory Unit says the Department approves and monitors services, investigates incidents and complaints, and enforces compliance. Its enforcement overview, last updated 14 July 2026, describes a risk-based approach. It says case details are published after court, tribunal or administrative action is finalised and any appeals process has concluded.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A separate Perth Zoo excursion case
This was not the first publicly announced Western Australian enforcement case involving a child left behind at Perth Zoo, but the earlier case involved a different service and provider. In a December 2021 release, the Department said a child at Como OSHClub was unsupervised for between 15 and 25 minutes during an excursion. It reported a $20,000 penalty and $2,000 in costs. The Department’s account is in its separate announcement about Como OSHClub; it should not be confused with the 2024 Floreat Park TheirCare incident.
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