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The Christchurch Civic
Crèche Case |
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The Christchurch Civic Child Care Centre was abruptly
closed yesterday after the Ministry of Education withdrew its operating
licence. The decision, which follows a police briefing with
ministry officials, has left 13 staff redundant. Staff learned of the decision from the city
manager, Mr John Gray, who visited the centre at closing time yesterday. The decision to close the centre was supported by
Mr Gray, who was also briefed by the police. The ministry said it revoked the licence because it
believed the centre no longer complied with the Early Childhood Regulations. The decision follows a glowing report on the centre's
management last November by the Education Review Office. This report was
presented to the council last March. The ministry's South Island field manager, Mr
Michael Deaker, said he moved to suspend the licence yesterday after being
briefed by the police in the previous 72 hours. He would not comment on whether the briefing
related to a police inquiry into sexual abuse at the centre. A former employee at the centre has been charged
with sexual offences against children, aged 2 to 4, at the centre between
November 1988 and March 1991. He was remanded last month to a pre-depositions
hearing on October 5. Mr Deaker said the council was legally entitled to
make "representations” on the decision, should it have wanted to keep
the centre open. However, Mr Gray had said that none would be forthcoming. Mr Deaker said: "The suspension was notified
to the city management yesterday morning. They promptly responded by saying
they had no deputations to make, so I took the next step to cancel the licence.
It will be published in the Education
Gazette in due course." Detectives had indicated that suspending the
licence was the most appropriate thing to do, he said. "The interests of the children were paramount.” Council staff were last night making contact with
the 50 to 60 parents with children at the centre. Parents have been sent a list of alternative child
care centres. Most children are regular rather than drop-in users. The Local Government Officers Union was last night considering
its options for challenging the ministry's decision. Its secretary, Mr Peter Lawson, said the ministry should
be held to account. The decision had yet to be explained to staff, many of
whom were distraught. After speaking to Mr Lawson last night, Mr Gray formally
withdrew the notices of redundancy issued earlier. Instead, he has placed
staff on two weeks paid leave. Redeployment options will be considered at a
meeting of council staff and the union today. Parents who contacted The Press newspaper said they were aghast at the decision to close,
and angry about the lack of notice. One parent said the only explanation given for the
sudden closing was that the ministry had withdrawn the licence. Two parents said they thought the decision was
politically motivated by the council, which in last year's budget round tried
to have the centre closed. One father said it took months for his child to
become settled at the centre. "Our wee boy absolutely loves the place, and
he is supposed to be going there tomorrow morning. Then they drop a bombshell
like this overnight.” The head of the centre's management committee, Mr Simon
Fraser, said parents would seek the ministry's explanation for the move. Parents were "tremendously upset” about the
decision, and would seek the council's support in having the licence reinstated,
he said. He had not been alerted to any recent police
concerns about the centre. |
