Feilding Pitter Patter childcare centre accused of abuse to close after losing licence rnz.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rnz.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Pauline Murphy is still not allowed back at the childhood centre while children are present. The ministry has been assessing whether the centre has met conditions required for it to regain a full licence from a provisional one, but the police are not investigating. The ministry specified 33 conditions the centre needed to met for the return of its full licence and nine of the conditions had to be met by Monday this week. These conditions included parts of the building having ventilation, a compliant first aid kit and the premises being checked daily for safety issues. Ministry deputy secretary Katrina Casey said its assessment and monitoring continued, but whether more sanctions were necessary would depend on if Pitter Patter met the conditions they had imposed.
Dirty bedding, bad food, a lack of fresh air and hot taps within reach of toddlers are some of the findings of a Feilding childcare centre which is being investigated.
Photo: RNZ / Sarah Robson
The Ministry of Education launched an investigation into Pitter Patter Education Centre after both former staff and parents said the owner was also smacking children and locking them in rooms.
The centre had its licence suspended for three weeks in November, but was allowed to re-open after owner Pauline Murphy agreed to stay away.
The ministry wrote to parents at the centre on Friday morning updating them on the ongoing investigation.
It said following an inspection in January, the ministry found the centre was breaching various regulations and licensing criteria.
Pitter Patter was allowed to stay open but the ministry had stripped it back to a provisional licence, with more conditions.