Police are investigating how a two-year-old boy came to be left unattended on a bus for up to six hours today.
Officers confirmed they and paramedics were called to 116 Rossi Street, the Yass Little Learners (YLL) child care centre, just after 3pm yesterday.
The toddler had been left in the vehicle unattended for about six hours, police said. The top temperature in Yass reached 28 degrees.
The two-year-old boy was removed from a child restraint seat inside the bus and treated at the scene for dehydration before he was taken to Yass Hospital, where he was kept for observation until 5pm.
In a statement to parents via Facebook, Yass Little Learners confirmed the incident took place on its bus. The driver was "suspended pending a full investigation by YLL centre management," the statement read.
The statement, released about 9pm, went on to assure parents that "every effort is being taken to ensure that a full inquiry is conducted … We will provide a further report of the results of this matter."
But a local parent who asked for anonymity told the Yass Tribune their son had also been neglected in the summer heat on a Yass Little Learners bus two years ago, during his preschool year.
A school child who had alighted from a public school bus had alerted staff to his distress; and a complaint was later lodged with ACECQA (the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority), the parent said.
A director of Yass Little Learners, Steve Grundy, said the child care centre was "very pleased the child is in good health".
"The health and well-being of the child was paramount. We contacted paramedics and police straight away and full inquiries are now being undertaken," Mr Grundy said.
Mr Grundy would not comment as to whether this kind of incident had happened before, stating that as the current situation was under investigation, he was unable to elaborate.
According to the Yass Little Learners' website, the child care business is planning to open centres in Mudgee, Lake Cathie and Bruce in Canberra.
Hume Police will report their findings on the February 20 incident to Family and Community Services (FACS).
