An after school care service operated by one of Australia’s largest providers has been shuttered after several children were left unsupervised on an excursion to Perth Zoo during a busy holiday period.

The State Administrative Tribunal on Wednesday fined Extend Australia $39,500 over its failure to ensure the children in its care were adequately supervised and protected from harm.

The alarming incident prompted Extend, which operates nearly 100 outside school hours care services nationwide, to close its Marmion service.

On April 16, 2025, nine children attended Marmion Primary School OSHC-Extend for an excursion to Perth Zoo during the first week of the Easter school holidays.

There was just one educator from the Marmion service allocated to supervise all nine children.

That morning the Marmion educator had contacted Extend’s rostering team, based in Victoria, to request a second educator for the excursion.

A staff member told the educator they were still sourcing a second person, later informing her she “would have to manage on her own as she could not locate anyone to assist her at the zoo”.

Before arriving at the zoo, the Marmion service made another stop at Extend’s St Hilda’s OSHC service to collect 12 children and three educators.

“None of the four educators were aware they were going on a joint excursion with another service; they were surprised to see each other on the bus and assumed it was for the purpose of bus sharing only,” the tribunal said in its findings.

The Victorian rostering ream was also “unaware of the expectation to combine the services for the purpose of supervising children”.

All 21 children and four educators arrived at the zoo just before 10am, where they then split up — leaving the Marmion educator to supervise nine children on her own.

Around 11.30am, the group was in the Australian Bushwalk section of the zoo when the four eldest kids aged seven to 11 ran ahead.

The sole educator couldn’t follow after them as she had another five young children aged four to six with her.

Half an hour later, the educator called Extend’s WA programs manager to inform her the children were missing and that Perth Zoo staff were helping to find them.

A zoo employee found them just after 12.30pm before reuniting them with the group several minutes later. Extend was fined $25,000 for its inadequate supervision.

“It would have been a reasonable precaution to call off the excursion for the service rather than proceed with only one educator to supervise nine children,” the tribunal said.

It was later revealed the service’s risk assessment for the excursion was also inappropriate by failing to identify water hazards at the zoo, namely its lake and the wetlands area.

“The Australian Wetlands has a large body of water which is easily accessible to children who were able to climb the simple wooden barrier. These are hazards likely to cause injury to young children who are not under adult supervision,” the tribunal said.

The risk assessment had been marked “no” to “water hazards”. This prompted the tribunal to fine the provider a further $12,500.

Extend undertook a “thorough investigation” into the incident, reviewed policies to identify necessary improvements, sacked three staff members, and ensured staff undertook extensive and targeted training related to risk assessment, supervision, and emergency procedures.

The service was ordered to pay $37,500 to the Department of Communities, plus $2000 towards its legal costs.

Department executive director of regulation and quality Angelo Barbaro said despite ongoing guidance, the department continues to see cases “where inadequate supervision has put children at risk”.

“One educator cannot be expected to effectively supervise nine children for an excursion to a large venue such the Perth Zoo,” he said.

“Services must ensure that their staff are prepared to actively supervise all children in their care, no matter their needs or circumstances.”