Security boost after preschoolers break-out of childcare centre

The pair left the Cubby House's playground on July 24 by unlatching the bolts of a gate into the car park.

A childcare centre break-out in which two preschoolers unlatched a gate and wandered across a busy road has prompted management to boost security.

The Ministry of Education is investigating how the children managed to unlatch bolts to a gate at the Cubby House Early Childhood Centre in Palmerston North last month and cross the busy four-lane Pioneer Highway, one of the city's main southern gateways.

The two children were found hundreds of metres across and along the road.Jane Pervan, who owns the centre with her husband Simon, said today the fire exit gates were now kept locked.

The centre made the change after receiving advice from the Fire Service.

They had previously been told the gates must remain unlocked.

"Now they are saying that because we can access our area of safety - we can get outside the building to an area of safety, they are advising that we can now use padlocks."

Cubby House, which had not had similar escapes in the past, had also installed improved and more secure gates to its entrances, Mrs Pervan said.

The centre had kept parents informed of the incident and its response and nobody had withdrawn their children as a result.

"We've had really good support from our Cubby House families in regards to our communication."

Mrs Pervan said the families of the escapees didn't want the children identified and she had been advised by the ministry not to comment further about the incident.

Daniel Herkes, who was picking up his 3-year-old son at the centre today, said the escape had not made him reconsider using the centre, nor did he have any concerns about it.

"They're pretty good. It's a bit unfortunate - cr** happens".Ministry head of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey said last week officials had centre management, and the centre was taking the incident seriously.

"[The centre] has made some immediate changes to its practice," she said.

"We will be meeting with the service again as our investigation progresses. We will be discussing with them any further changes needed to ensure children are safe.

"Children's health and safety is of paramount importance. We act immediately if there are concerns about children's health and safety."