Bold takeaway: Childcare duty isn’t just about care—it can hinge on timely support, and when that support vanishes, mistakes can escalate into harm. And this is where it gets controversial...
A childcare worker in Bathurst, NSW, has admitted to assaulting a three-year-old boy while at Jenny's Kindergarten and Early Learning Centre. Hayley Kelleher, 18, pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court to one count of common assault for an incident that occurred on July 11.
The agreed facts show Kelleher was attempting to settle a group of children aged three to five for their midday nap. The boy repeatedly refused to lie down on his mattress, and despite asking a senior colleague for help, she felt ignored. The document notes she then moved the boy’s mattress away from the others and, frustrated and flustered, grabbed his right arm, lifting him briefly off the ground and dragging him about three metres to a different mattress.
According to the amended statement of facts, Kelleher ultimately placed the boy on the mattress rather than the initial police allegation that she threw him. The CCTV footage captured the event, showing the force used and the resulting distress. The court noted that the action caused the boy pain and tore his jumper, and that it amounted to more force than reasonably necessary to manage a child.
Following the incident, the child’s mother filed a complaint with the NSW education department, which led to an internal investigation at the centre. Kelleher was terminated soon afterward. After the department reviewed the CCTV, the mother reported the matter to police in late August. During a police interview in September, Kelleher admitted her actions and expressed remorse, explaining she felt frustrated and flustered due to the lack of assistance in supervising the child.
This case comes amid ongoing scrutiny of childcare providers and workers, a spotlight intensified in 2025 by investigations from ABC’s Four Corners. The Bathurst centre stated a strict zero-tolerance policy toward any abuse, neglect, or inappropriate conduct and emphasized that authorities were kept informed and that the family’s concerns were addressed respectfully and thoroughly.
Kelleher is scheduled for sentencing on December 10.
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