An early learning centre at Lake Macquarie is under investigation after a child escaped the premises and was found alone.
The NSW Early Learning Commission revealed it is probing an incident earlier this month at the Busy Bees service on Blackwood Circuit at Cameron Park.
A Busy Bees Early Education spokesperson confirmed a child had left the centre unaccompanied.
"The child was unharmed and we are extremely grateful to the member of the local community who assisted the child and ensured they were safely returned home," the spokesperson said.
"Our teams and educators are acutely aware of the seriousness of the matter and are deeply saddened to have let this family down. This is something that should never happen."
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It is understood the young child left from a fenced area and was found by a passerby near a road.
The Busy Bees spokesperson said the incident was taken very seriously and was immediately reported to the NSW Regulator.
Officers from the NSW Early Learning Commission attended the site to ensure action was taken to address any immediate child safety risks.
The Busy Bees spokesperson said fencing at all of the organisation's centres complied with regulations and standards but a number of immediate actions and environmental changes had been made since the incident.
These included modifications to reduce a child's ability to scale perimeter fencing, and changes to the outdoor playscape and surrounding environment to improve visibility for educators and supervision outside.
The spokesperson said Busy Bees had been communicating with the family of the child involved.
"We also sincerely appreciate the understanding shown by the child's parents throughout this process, and thankful they remain valued and active member of the Busy Bees community," they said.
Busy Bees has centres across Australia, including 15 in NSW and four in the Hunter.
The NSW Early Learning Commission said the investigation was ongoing and the watchdog would continue to monitor the service closely until an outcome was determined.
The spokesperson urged families with any concerns about the health, safety or wellbeing of a child attending an early learning service to contact the NSW Early Learning Commission directly as soon as possible.
