A GOLD Coast mother is outraged that staff at a childcare centre lost her five-year-old son, then offered her $7 discount by way of apology.

The distressed mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said her son was missing for at least one hour after wandering off from the Helping Hands Network after-school care group at the Worongary State School between activities earlier this month.

The prep student had crossed nine roads - two of which were ramps to the busy Pacific Motorway - and was found about 2km from the school when he was picked up by another mother.

The police then notified the boy's mother, who claims Helping Hands staff did not even know the boy was missing.

After police returned her son, Helping Hands' regional manager rang the mother to apologise and said she would not be billed $7 for childcare that afternoon.

Read the full story at The Gold Coast Bulletin