One of the first childcare centres in the NSW Hunter to be assessed using the new National Quality Standard rating system received a lot more than just the thumbs up.

Salamander Child Care Centre achieved an overall rating of "exceeding" the national standards, the best of four automatic ratings, thanks to the hard work of its management committee and staff, and families.

They are now in a position to apply for an "excellent" rating which can be awarded by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority, which publishes all results on its website to help keep communities informed.

Centre director Mandy Moore said there was still work to do, but staff were thrilled with the results.

"We look after staff so they can meet the needs of the children," Mrs Moore said. "We have above the minimum of child-to-staff ratios so the pressure on staff is lower and gives them time to spend with the children . . . and we work on maintaining and developing relationships between educators and children, and children with their peers.

"Our staff are really passionate and very passionate about inclusive practices.

"We have tried to create a homely environment," she said.

The centre, once council-owned and operated and catering for 39 children, is now community-based and not-for-profit, with 76 places.

Violence, neglect in minority of centres

ONE child was hit in the face and needed hospital and dental treatment. Others were  bruised, scratched, bitten or punched.

Children attacking classmates at Hunter childcare centres were among the 113 complaints – 11 of which concerned  serious harm to a child – made to the Early Childhood Education and Care Directorate last year.

Inappropriate disciplinary measures – including the isolation of children to ‘‘manage negative behaviours’’ by placing them in ‘‘time out’’ for long periods or putting children in cots as punishment – were among recorded breaches of childcare laws and regulations in the same period.

Some centres were reported for inadequately supervising and interacting with children,  with staff at one centre found sitting and chatting among themselves, and for leaving children too long in soiled nappies.

The 54 breaches involved 21 services, a small proportion of the Hunter and Central Coast’s 324 childcare services.

Details of the complaints and breaches were obtained by the Newcastle Herald under the Freedom of Information Act.

The number of breaches recorded by the department has dropped from about 2000 in 2006, to 350 in 2008, and 54 last year.

The Department of Education’s general manager of early child education and care, Ruth Callaghan, said the decrease could be partly attributed to the fact that services had become more aware of their obligations with the introduction of a new ratings system  last year.

‘‘Expectations of services are higher now and they are more aware of what they need to do, not just in terms of basic compliance but running a good service for children,’’ she said.

‘‘The bar has been set higher, nationally.’’

Spot checks and assessment and ratings visits were made to services as part of regular monitoring and all complaints relating to the safety, health and well-being of children were investigated and acted on.

‘‘Any breaches or non-compliances identified at services are brought to the attention of the approved provider and they are given a timeframe to rectify those,’’ a department spokesman said.

‘‘In most cases, if not all, they are managed promptly by the approved provider.’’

So far about one-fifth of NSW’s 5000 services have been assessed and rated under the new National Quality Standards.

Leanne Gibbs, the chief executive officer of Community Child Care Co-operative NSW, said that while the number of serious breaches was relatively small, the incidents were, at face value, of great concern.

It was important for parents to make an informed decision about their child’s care and education, she said.

‘‘It’s not always about the beautiful new equipment and the pristine environment, but the interaction between educators and children.

 ‘‘If the service is not concerned about you wanting to spend time there before your child starts, I think that that tells you they have no concerns about your presence, or being observed.’’

The president of Child Care NSW, Vicki Skoulogenis, said services had been working hard to live up to high standards.

SETTING A BAD EXAMPLE

Breaches of childcare services laws and regulations in the Hunter and Central Coast  in 2012

■Use of inappropriate discipline (isolate children to manage negative behaviours).

■Inadequately supervise children (staff sitting and chatting with each other).

■Failed to ensure child  left  premises with  authorised person.

■Children  left in soiled nappies.

Complaints

■Child hit by another child (caused swelling to his face requiring medical treatment).

■Child grabbed and pushed against bed at rest time.

■Child scratched in his eye by another child.

■Child injured by large wooden block (finger broken).

■Child punched in the face by another child.

■Child bitten and scratched by another child.

■Child fell off play equipment (spent a night in hospital).

■Child yelled at and physically restrained by an educator.

■Child placed in cot as punishment.

■Child pushed outside by an educator.

■Children placed in ‘‘time out’’ for extended periods.

Source: Department of Education and Communities under the Freedom of Information Act