Children Leaving ECE Premises: What the 2025 Records Reveal

Four children leaving unnoticed. Two children moving tyres to climb a fence. A child leaving through a window.

Official records relating to children leaving early childhood education (ECE) premises during 2025 provide a concerning picture of how children can get beyond the boundaries intended to keep them safe.

Playsafe obtained the records directly from the Education Review Office (ERO) under the Official Information Act. The released appendix contains 53 incident and complaint records: 46 self-identified incident records and seven complaint records.

Behind those numbers are practical lessons about gates, fencing, landscaping, supervision and the way children interact with their surroundings.

What actually happened?

The following examples come from the self-identified incident records. Dates are those listed in the released appendix.

Four children left without adult knowledge

An entry dated 4 December 2025 records four children leaving a Canterbury kindergarten without adult knowledge. A parent returned them to the service.

Following a licensing assessment, the service introduced a new supervision strategy and installed a new gate latch. The Ministry recorded no further action and no amendment to the licence.

This example highlights how a single departure can involve several children—and why gate security and supervision need to work together.

Children moved tyres to climb a fence

An entry dated 4 June 2025 describes two children moving tyres to help themselves climb a kindergarten’s fence. A member of the public returned them.

A licensing visit followed, and the service put measures in place to prevent recurrence. Its licence was not amended.

The important detail is that the children changed the environment themselves. A boundary that appears difficult to climb may become accessible when movable play materials are brought alongside it.

A child climbed out through a window

An Auckland entry dated 21 August 2025 records a child climbing out of a window and leaving the premises.

The Ministry assessed documentation supplied by the service, which strengthened its relevant policies and procedures. No further action was recorded, and the licence was not amended.

Boundary safety therefore extends beyond the outdoor fence. Windows, doors and connections between indoor and outdoor spaces also need consideration.

A child passed underneath temporary fencing

An entry dated 24 June 2025 records a child going underneath temporary fencing before being retrieved by teachers.

The Ministry requested documentation and an investigation report. Non-compliances were identified and rectified, and the service strengthened its policies and procedures.

Temporary arrangements deserve particular attention. Building work, maintenance and changes to outdoor spaces can introduce access routes that are absent from the permanent layout.

Police were called after a child left

A Wellington kindergarten entry dated 13 October 2025 records a child leaving the premises. Police were called, and the child was returned.

The Ministry reviewed documentation and undertook a licensing visit. Risks were mitigated and supervision policies and procedures amended. No further action was required, and the licence was not amended.

The appendix does not state how far the child travelled or how long they were away. Those details should not be assumed.

A child climbed over a fence to retrieve a shoe

An entry dated 4 September 2025 describes a child climbing over a kindergarten fence to retrieve a shoe. A teacher immediately retrieved the child.

Following a licensing visit, the service increased the fence height and introduced additional supervision. The Ministry recorded no non-compliances and no amendment to the licence.

This was an observed departure, rather than a child leaving unnoticed. It nevertheless identified a route beyond the boundary that the service subsequently addressed.

A departure through the front doors led to a provisional licence

An Auckland entry dated 31 January 2025 records a child leaving through a service’s front doors.

A licensing assessment identified non-compliances, and a provisional licence was issued. The appendix does not specify the individual non-compliances or establish that every issue related to the doors.

What do the 53 records mean?

The figure needs careful interpretation.

These are 53 records, rather than a verified count of 53 separate, confirmed escape events. Some entries may concern the same event reported through different channels.

One complaint was not upheld. Some records describe multiple children, while others refer to repeated departures.

Several children were observed or immediately intercepted, so it would also be inaccurate to say every departure occurred without adult knowledge.

The records do not establish the full national extent of the problem. They do, however, identify real routes out and the changes services made afterwards.

Look at the whole environment

A fence cannot be assessed in isolation.

Tyres, furniture, play equipment, trees and retaining walls can provide climbing assistance.

Ground-level changes can reduce the effective height of a boundary. Temporary fencing can introduce gaps. Gates may function differently during busy arrival and collection periods, when children can follow adults through.

The records show why physical security and supervision need to be considered together. Repairs to gates and fences featured alongside revised supervision plans, stronger procedures and changes to everyday practices.

An intercepted departure is also valuable information. It provides an opportunity to identify and address an access route before a child gets further away.

A practical reminder for ECE services

Playsafe’s Annual Outdoor NZS 5828 inspection includes assessing fences, gates and landscaping against the applicable requirements of the standard, helping services maintain a secure outdoor play environment and reduce the risk of children leaving unnoticed.

Identifying and addressing these hazards helps services demonstrate due diligence, strengthen security and manage potential liability.

Children need freedom to explore within an environment that keeps them safely on site.

Source: Education Review Office, OIA-26-513, response dated 2 October 2026 and Appendix 1, subsequently supplied to Playsafe under OIA-26-530 on 2 November 2026. Examples are summaries of the released records. The appendix does not provide full investigation findings or establish current conditions at the services concerned.