News by NATASHA BITA
Premium Content A little boy who died on a daycare bus was among more than 16,000 Australian children seriously harmed or sick in childcare last year. A record 13,077 babies, toddlers and preschoolers suffered a serious injury, trauma or illness - including broken bones, burns, cuts, concussions, anaphylaxis reactions and severe asthma attacks - requiring urgent medical attention in 2019/20. Ambulances were called to daycare emergencies 2145 times and 1409 children went missing, or were mistakenly locked in or out of services or taken away without approval. A total of 16,632 serious incidents were reported to state and territory childcare authorities, a new Productivity Commission report reveals today.