By Belinda Nolan
ABC Learning Centres will launch an internal investigation following claims of neglect and discrimination at its Burnside child care centre.
ABC centre management last week confirmed the child care giant would take action after a mother alleged her child was mistreated at the day care centre.
Caroline Springs mother Sonia Sharma claimed she was forced to withdraw her two-year-old toddler from the Burnside Centre after becoming concerned by the treatment she was receiving.
Ms Sharma claims staff failed to feed her daughter or care for her when she was sick.
“I’m so angry and frustrated about what happened,” Ms Sharma said.
“I would give instructions to the staff members to feed her her bottle because that’s all she was eating.
“Then at the end of the day I would go to pick her up and the bottle was still lying there untouched.
“They hadn’t fed her anything and this went on for a long period of time.
“I would come home from work and feed her at night.
“It upset me so much because she was going without food for hours.”
Ms Sharma said her daughter had been miserable during her time at the centre.
She decided to withdraw her from the centre and quit her job to care for her herself.
“It wasn’t an easy decision because I lost that income but my daughter’s happiness is more important than any amount of money,” Ms Sharma said.
An ABC Learning Centres general manager Matthew Horton said the company took the concerns of parents very seriously and would fully investigate the claims.
“We take all parent concerns seriously and inquiries into the issues raised will be undertaken,” he said.
But Mr Horton indicated that the centre had not received an official complaint from Ms Sharma.
“Since the Star advised us of the allegations we have instigated an investigation and will take all appropriate actions considered necessary.”
