The Discipline Committee hears matters regarding allegations of professional misconduct and/or incompetence. When it makes a finding of guilt, a summary of its decision and reasons must be published in the College’s newsletter, Connexions.
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
- Suspend Gurpreet Lubana’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 51308) for six months
- Terms, Conditions and Limitations on Certificate of Registration that includes mentorship
- Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed Facts: Gurpreet Lubana and an early childhood education assistant (ECA) were responsible for supervising a group of toddler-aged children.
On one occasion, while the ECA was not in the room, a child under Lubana’s supervision fell off a table and/or was pushed to the ground, which resulted in an injury to the child’s right arm. Lubana did not inform the parents that the child was injured, and did not fill out an accident report or serious occurrence report, or notify her supervisor of the incident or injury. The child was taken by their parents to the emergency room later that evening, where an x-ray revealed that the child’s arm was broken. Shortly afterwards, Lubana falsely reported to the child’s mother about what had happened and created a fake accident report.
Finding: A panel of the Discipline Committee found Lubana guilty of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08). Of particular note, Lubana was found guilty of failing to supervise adequately a person who was under her professional supervision; failing to maintain the standards of the profession; acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and signing or issuing, in her professional capacity, a document she knew or ought to have known contained false, improper, or misleading statements.
Penalty: The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend Lubana’s Certificate of Registration for six months. In addition to the suspension, the Panel directed the Registrar to impose terms, conditions and limitations on Lubana’s Certificate of Registration, which includes a requirement for Lubana to enter into a mentorship relationship with an RECE mentor, pre-approved by the College. Lubana was also ordered to contribute $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
In its decision the panel stated, “the suspension of the Member, along with the reprimand, will act as specific deterrents to the Member and general deterrents to other members of the profession, preventing them from engaging in such conduct.”