Goodstart Early Learning has additional surveillance measures for its bus services after a toddler was found dead after being left on a vehicle in far north Queensland.

The company resumed bus services otoday across all of its centres, two weeks after the death of a three-year-old boy at Edmonton, Cairns.

Two staff have been charged with manslaughter as a result of the death and both have been sacked by the company.

There are now three designated roles on buses following the introduction of a “checker” to conduct a sweep of a bus after it returns.

In addition, the staff member, who acts as the bus supervisor, is required to sit at the rear of the vehicle for the entire journey.

The checker is a centre-based staff member who meets, greets and checks a vehicle on its arrival.

While bus services have resumed, the kindy at Edmonton has yet to reopen.

“The Edmonton centre remains closed at the moment,” a Goodstart Early Learning Centre representative said.

“The bus services which have resumed are across the entire national Goodstart service at centres which offer pick up and drop off services.

“Both staff involved in the incident had their employment terminated following the charges which were laid.”

Goodstart Early Learning chief executive Julia Davidson said the company had apologised to the boy’s family and was still trying to fathom what occurred in Cairns.

“This makes the events in Edmonton all the more bewildering. We don’t know why a senior staff member – who had received significant training and recent reminders about bus safety – apparently disregarded procedures,” she said.

“As was noted in court, rigorous policies and procedures around bus transport were in place at Edmonton.

“We had very strong procedures in place and now we are moving to strengthen them even further.”

She said there had been several incidents with Goodstart buses in recent years, after which additional safety measures were also introduced.

Bus driver Michael Glen Lewis and childcare worker, Dionne Beatrice Grills, have been charged with manslaughter over the death.

They were both bailed last week on the condition neither contact co-workers, each other or the victim’s family.

Lewis was ordered to surrender his passport and not come within 100m of an international point of departure.

Their charges will again be mentioned in the Cairns Magistrates Court on March 18.