Child made to wipe up urine: Dad

By Callan Date
A BERWICK family wants more childcare options in the City of Casey after they found their four-year-old child cleaning urine off the floor at an ABC Learning Centre.
Sam Aziz is trying to establish a lobby group to help raise the standards of childcare operators in the local area.
This follows an incident last week at the Berwick South ABC Learning Centre that left the family furious.
“My wife found our son cleaning urine off the floor with a towel and bare hands at the instruction of his carer,” Mr Aziz said.
The father-of-two said he had taken up his complaint with the ABC management with little success.
“I have written to the company, but I haven’t had a response,” he said.
ABC spokesman Scott Emerson said they had immediately launched an investigation into the incident after the Aziz family raised its concern.
“ABC Learning has also spoken to centre staff as part of the investigation, which is continuing,” Mr Emerson said.
“This included the area manager for the centre personally speaking to the parent about the matter the night it was raised,” he said.
Mr Aziz said he would continue his efforts in trying to get answers from ABC and establish a parents’ group to look at alternatives.
“I think the problem is that the company has been allowed to have such a monopoly on the market in the local area.”
Mr Aziz has since withdrawn his two children from Berwick South ABC Learning Centre and enrolled them at another centre.
He said he was saving about $60 a week in fees at the new centre.
“I’m certainly going to continue the focus on the ABC system – I think they need to be made accountable,” Mr Aziz said.
Mr Emerson said ABC Learning’s priority was the quality care and education of the children attending its centres.
“(We take) very seriously all concerns raised by parents.”