A distraught mother is calling for criminal charges after an educator slapped her neurodivergent toddler at a childcare centre in Melbourne’s south-east.
Three-year-old Kayce’s parents were asked to collect him just 40 minutes after he arrived at the centre on October 17.
“We got the call at about 7.40am to say that his behaviour was quite bad and that he needed to be collected,” mother Jaymie Barber told 9News. Later that day, management informed the family that Kayce had been struck across the face after he had hit an educator.
“I just broke down, I didn’t know what to say,” Jaymie said. “It’s horrible. They are there to protect your children and look after them.”
Witness statements indicate that Kayce, who has complex behavioural needs, had been upset and hitting and kicking staff before the incident.
In her incident statement, the educator involved wrote: “I comforted him and said, ‘I will give you your dummy, but you need to say sorry to me.’ The child responded angrily and said ‘no,’ and suddenly slapped me on the face. My mind went blank in that moment. I reacted impulsively and slapped him back.”
Another educator immediately intervened and moved Kayce to another room, according to witness accounts.
The staff member involved has since been dismissed by the centre and expressed deep regret for her actions. Local police and the Victorian Education Department have been notified, and Jaymie hopes this will result in charges being laid.
“It’s heartbreaking. I understand he has many big emotions, but he is the sweetest kid,” Jaymie said. “In a professional setting, staff should know better—he’s just three.”
Jaymie says Kayce’s behaviour has deteriorated since the incident and believes he is emotionally scarred. “He now does not trust other adults, and he was already having a very hard time being neurodivergent,” she said.
Kayce has been suspended from the centre, which stated that his “physical way of expressing emotions” caused numerous injuries to both children and staff, making it difficult to maintain a safe environment. Jaymie noted that the centre was informed of Kayce’s complex behavioural needs prior to enrolment and assured the family they would provide support.
The family is calling for better training for educators to manage children with diverse behavioural needs. “Many children in daycare today are neurodivergent and being overlooked. By the time they reach school, the challenges are ten times worse,” Jaymie said.
Victoria’s Department of Education confirmed the matter is under investigation by the state’s early childhood regulator. “Our priority is, and always will be, the health and safety of children,” a spokesperson said. “The Regulatory Authority responds to any non-compliance in early childhood services, particularly when the safety, health, or wellbeing of children may be at risk.”
A new independent regulator, VECRA, will launch on January 1, 2026, as part of landmark child safety reforms. The regulator will increase compliance checks and strengthen the sector. Early childhood educators at government-funded kindergartens also have access to training on caring for children with additional needs through the Early Childhood Hub.
For support, children and families can contact Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
