Parents have expressed shock after a child’s finger was severed while playing on equipment at a Wodonga preschool.
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An Ambulance Victoria spokesman confirmed a “preschool-aged boy” got his finger stuck while playing at Southern Rise Preschool and was taken to Albury Base Hospital about 10am Friday.
The Border Mail understands part of the child’s finger was severed and it’s unknown what the long-term consequences will be.
Wodonga Council failed to respond to repeated requests for information about the type of equipment and how the incident occurred.
A council spokeswoman said the equipment had been removed from all six of its council-run centres.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said the council had alerted the department of the possible danger in other centres.
“The equipment supplier and WorkSafe have been notified,” she said.
“The department is currently conducting a full investigation of the matter, as we do with all serious incidents. The centre responded quickly after the incident, and has stayed in close contact with the child’s family.”
The Border Mail spoke to a number of parents who said they hadn’t been made aware of the incident.
It makes you sick in your stomach, to think a child would hurt themselves in someone else's care
- Wodonga mum Prue Hetherington
Wodonga mum Prue Hetherington, whose five-year-old son Benji attends the preschool, said all parents should have been notified.
“It makes you sick in your stomach, to think a child would hurt themselves when they’re in someone else’s care especially,” she said.
“I would like to know what is the maintenance on the equipment and what policies and procedures they have to make sure it’s safe.
“Obviously it needs to be investigated, I don’t want my children hurting themselves, to see if it could have been prevented and not to happen again.”
Ms Hetherington said as long as the appropriate measures were taken, it did not affect her decision to send her child to the preschool.
“As long as it was fixed, and it’s been thorough, other than that this preschool is brilliant,” she said.
“Accidents do happen, don’t get me wrong.”
Wodonga’s Kerry Carmosin said she had learned of the incident through another parent.
“They said there was an ambulance here on Friday and a little boy got hurt,” she said.
“I would ask why did it happen, if council's particular about their equipment.”
When contacted for comment, the school directed all questions to the council.
WorkSafe is conducting inquiries and will advise whether an occupational health and safety breach investigation will take place.