• Two toddlers walked out of an Auckland day care after a door was left open.
• BestStart is investigating the incident and has informed the Ministry of Education.
• Parents expressed anger, demanding immediate action and assurances for their children’s safety.

Parents of children at an Auckland day care centre are furious after two toddlers walked out onto a busy city road through a door left open by a teacher.

The incident is being investigated, just a week after four children escaped from a Tauranga childcare centre.

The Ministry of Education confirmed it had been notified by the Mt Eden BestStart early childhood centre about yesterday’s incident involving the pair of youngsters taking off on their own while under their care.

“On 30 January 2025, Northern Best Start informed us that two children (toddlers) had exited the service unattended from a side door into the carpark,” said the ministry’s northern acting leader Leisa Maddix.

“We have asked the service for confirmation that mitigations are in place for the door that the children left through and we will continue to work with them to gather further information and review the relevant policies and procedures.

“We expect to receive a full investigation report from the service.”

She said the children were safe and parents had been notified.

A parent of a child at the centre, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Herald the youngsters left the centre opposite Eden Park on Walters Rd and walked down nearby Sandringham Rd.

BestStart northern regional manager Karen Flinn posted a statement on an internal group: “We had an incident today where a teacher accidentally left an exit door open and two children got out of the centre.

“Thankfully, they were quickly returned safely,” she said.

“We take our responsibilities very seriously and we are extremely concerned that this occurred.

“We have already instigated a full investigation and informed the Ministry of Education. We apologise to the parents of the children involved.

“We will advise you of the outcome and any actions from the investigation.”

Several parents posted furious replies to the post, with one saying the situation was “beyond unacceptable”.

“We expect a serious and immediate response, not generic reassurances. The safety of our children is not negotiable.”

Another said: “I’m really shocked that this is your response. The children were under 2 and walking down Sandringham Road. This is one of our busiest streets. They also would have crossed the busy car park.”

Maddix said early childhood services were not required to make a report to the ministry when children left premises unattended, however “services understand the benefit of reporting and working with us to ensure the health and safety of children”.

This incident occurred more than one week after four children escaped through a gate that “unexpectedly malfunctioned” at a Tauranga day care.

Kids on Nineteen said the “deeply distressing” incident on December 3 was “immediately noticed” by a staff member and the children were safely returned to the centre “within minutes”.

In August last year, a toddler escaped from a Rotorua day care after climbing the fence and was found near a state highway by a motorist, in an incident the boy’s mother called “shocking”.

Of the 191,602 children that attended early childhood education in 2023, 69 children were reported leaving premises without the knowledge of adults.