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Kids ‘take sleeping pills’ in childcare

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Investigations are underway into allegations three preschool students consumed sleeping pills at an early learning centre in Canberra’s south.

Conder Early Learning Centre is under two separate investigations — one by ACT police and one by the ACT Education Directorate — over how preschoolers were allegedly left unsupervised to consume sleeping tablets last Thursday.

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Police said they were investigating a matter involving the centre but refused to comment further.

Fairfax Media is reporting the children were admitted to hospital after the incident.

It is alleged one of the parents found their child in a highly affected state and a second child was in a similar state.

Both were required to remain in hospital until Friday night.

A third child was admitted for observation on Thursday but discharged later that day, Fairfax reported.

ACT Education Directorate spokeswoman Jane Cuzner said the department was conducting an inquiry into the incident.

“An investigation would typically look at policies and procedures that have been developed at the centre and then how they’re implemented,” she said.

“[It would] then perhaps look at where more training needs to be given to staff or more appropriate procedures are put in place.”

Ms Cuzner said regular monitoring of childcare centres took place in the ACT.

“When any report is made a thorough and comprehensive investigation takes place by an authorised officer who visits the centre and can check on anything that relates to the matter, including staffing ratios, correct policies and procedures, correct implementation, the qualifications of the staff and what actually occurred at the time,” she said.

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