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, as well as on the College website and CanLii.
Jenny Kar Yun Li
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspend Jenny Kar Yun Li’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 27611) for four 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: Jenny Kar Yun Li and another staff member were responsible for supervising a group of children in the nursery room at a child care cntre.
On one occasion, while parents were arriving at the classroom to pick up their children, a child left the room unnoticed and was found by his caregiver alone beside a parked car in the centre’s parking lot. The child’s caregiver returned him to the classroom. He had been gone for approximately five minutes. Li did not notice the child had left the room. Neither Li nor the other staff member reported the incident to their supervisor at the centre. Their supervisor learned of the incident after receiving a call from the child’s parents.
Finding: The member was found guilty of several findings of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including, among other things, that she failed to supervise adequately a person under her professional supervision, failed to maintain the standards of the profession, contravened a law that caused a child under her professional supervision to be put at risk, and conducted herself in a manner that is unbecoming of a member.
Penalty: The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend Li’s certificate of registration for a period of four months. In addition to the suspension, terms, conditions and limitations were imposed on Li’s certificate of registration, requiring her to enter into a mentorship relationship with an RECE and to contribute $1,000 toward the College’s hearing costs.
In its decision the panel stated, “The risk associated with a lost child could reasonably be perceived as reflecting negatively on the profession of Early Childhood Education.”
Francette Lusungi Diuka
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspend Francette Lusungi Diuka’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 50338) for four months
Terms, Conditions and Limitations on Certificate of Registration that includes mentorship
Contribution of $1,250 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed Facts: Francette Lusungi Diuka and an assistant educator were responsible for supervising a group of preschool children in the child care centre’s fenced-in yard.
On one occasion, two children, both two years of age, left the yard without supervision and went to the centre’s parking lot. The children were noticed by a parent after one of them fell and began to cry. The member was not aware that the children had left the yard until another staff member notified her of the incident. In addition, the member failed to report the incident to her supervisor in a timely manner. The supervisor and director of the centre learned of the incident the next day through an anonymous phone call.
Finding: The member was found guilty of several findings of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08) including, among other things, that she failed to supervise adequately a person who was under her professional supervision, and failed to maintain the standards of the profession by failing to maintain and monitor a safe and health learning environment.
Penalty: The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the member’s certificate of registration for a period of four months, as well as to impose conditions and limitations on the member’s certificate of registration including mentorship. In addition, the member was required to contribute $1,250 toward the College’s hearing costs.
In its decision the panel stated, “The penalty also requires the Member to undertake a mentoring program before resuming employment as an early childhood educator. This highly prescriptive program will ensure that the Member receives professional support in order to prevent the recurrence of incidents that could jeopardize the safety of children.”
Patricia Lorraine Beadle
DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDER
Suspend Patricia Lorraine Beadle’s Certificate of Registration (registration number 02331) for four months
Contribution of $1,000 towards the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
Agreed Facts: The member was employed as a Program Director at a day nursery centre. The licenced capacity of the day nursery was for 24 preschool aged students, with Director approval granted for a mixed age group. The licence permitted the member to enroll a maximum of three children from the youngest (toddler) age group.
Contrary to the licence, as of September 2015, the member had at least six toddlers and an infant enrolled in the preschool program at the centre. The member falsely told the board that there were only two toddlers in the program. The board instructed the member to discharge three of the six toddlers. As of December 2015, the board reviewed enrollments and discovered that the member had not discharged any of the children.
Finding: The member was found guilty of several findings of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08) including, among other things, that she failed to supervise adequately a person or person(s) under her professional supervision, and failed to maintain the standards of the profession, contravened a law, and conducted herself in a manner that is unbecoming to a member.
Penalty: The panel directed the College’s Registrar to suspend the member’s certificate of registration for a period of four months. In addition, the member was ordered to contribute $1,000 toward the College’s hearing costs.
In its decision the panel stated, “The evidence shows that the Member contravened the standards of practice when she enrolled six (6) toddlers and one (1) infant in a program licensed for 24 preschool age children.”