A large Dunedin after-school care provider has been allowed to continue operating, but will remain under the microscope as it continues to address outstanding issues.
Magic Kids Club, which operates out of 19 schools, was recently assessed by a government agency after it failed to meet minimum requirements for children’s health and safety.
It also failed six out of nine standards required to operate.
After six weeks of assessment under Te Kahui Kahu, an agency commissioned by the Ministry of Social Development, it concluded the service has shown enough improvement to retain its accreditation, allowing it to continue operating, but with reviews every six months while it addresses outstanding issues.
However, one parent who complained to the ministry last year said he was disappointed by the way the assessment was carried out and he would never trust Magic Kids again.
Te Kahui Kahu social services accreditation general manager Barry Fisk said it was satisfied with the progress Magic Kids Club had made in addressing critical matters.
Evidence had shown the business had addressed 24 critical actions and as a result could continue to operate.
More work still needed to be done, with other requirements regarding governance, complaint resolution, staffing, systems and procedures due to be addressed by the business’s next review in October.
The standard review period was every two years, but due to the number of actions the business had to address, it had been moved to a six-month review cycle.
Magic Kids Club director Jeremy Botting said the business was happy to retain its accreditation, but it would continue to work towards providing a better service.
It was focused on implementing services and procedural changes which would help it improve.
Many of the recent challenges it faced were due to problems which stemmed from decisions made years ago which turned out to be insufficient, he said.
Parents could be assured their children were safe and improvements had been made to help security.
One of the complaints to MSD against the business was filed by Simon White, who said his 5-year-old son was left on the side of a busy road on his first day of school after the business failed to pick him up.
He said it did not matter whether the club had retained its accreditation, he would never trust the service again.
He was disappointed to hear the business passed the assessment considering how poor his experience was.
There was very little communication throughout the whole process and he felt the government assessment did not include a voice for the parents who were wronged.
Mr Botting had reached out to him more than six months after the incident, but the response was unsatisfying and it was "too little too late."
Mr Botting said he respected Mr White’s right to an opinion and it was regrettable the business had not been able to satisfy him. The business did communicate with parents where and when it was allowed to in line with its privacy obligations.
Responding to criticism of the way the assessment was held, Mr Fisk said Te Kahui Kahu completed a "very thorough assessment of Magic Kids Club".
The agency had a process it worked through with complaints, which included assigning an assessor to the complaint and following up with the complainant if more information was required.
After putting the complaint to the business, Te Kahui Kahu could decide to bring the routine assessment forward to address the concerns.
It would continue to monitor the business’s compliance with accreditation standards to ensure they progressed on their outstanding issues.
