UPDATE: A Melbourne mother is calling for criminal charges after her three-year-old son, Kayce, was slapped by a childcare educator during a shocking incident at a First Early Learning centre on October 17, 2025. The urgent call for accountability follows a distressing report that has left the family and the community reeling.
Just 40 minutes after dropping Kayce off at the center at 7:00 AM, mother Jaymie Barber was summoned back due to her son’s behavior. Later that day, she received a phone call from the center’s manager revealing that Kayce had been “struck across the face” after allegedly hitting a staff member. “I just broke down, I didn’t know what to say. It’s horrible,” Barber expressed to 9News.
The childcare center initiated an immediate investigation and gathered witness statements. Reports indicate that Kayce, who has complex behavioural needs, was upset and began hitting and kicking staff before the incident occurred. In a statement, the educator involved said, “I reacted impulsively and slapped him back,” adding that a colleague had to intervene and move Kayce to another room.
The educator has since been dismissed, and both Victoria Police and the education department have been notified. However, Barber believes this incident should not only result in a dismissal but also in criminal charges. “It’s heartbreaking…he is the sweetest kid known to mankind,” she said, emphasizing that professionals should know better than to react violently, especially with a child as young as three.
The fallout from the incident has taken a toll on Kayce, with Barber reporting a deterioration in his behavior and trust towards adults. “He now does not trust other adults, and he was already having a very hard time being neurodivergent as it is,” she lamented. The childcare center has placed Kayce on suspension, claiming they could not ensure a safe environment while he was in their care due to the “high number of injuries” he reportedly caused to staff and other children.
Barber asserts that the center was aware of Kayce’s needs prior to enrollment and had assured her family they would provide support. She is now advocating for better training for educators to manage children with diverse behavioral needs, stating, “You’ve probably got 10 children in a daycare setting that have all got neurodiverse needs these days, and they’re being overlooked.”
The incident is now under review by Victoria’s early childhood regulator, which has stated, “Our priority is, and always will be, the health and safety of children.” An independent regulator is set to launch on January 1, 2026, as part of new child safety reforms.
As this developing story unfolds, the community is left grappling with the implications of this incident and the urgent need for systemic change in childcare settings to protect vulnerable children. Parents and advocates are encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences as the investigation continues.
Stay tuned for updates on this urgent matter as it develops.
