The Discipline Committee hears matters regarding allegations of professional misconduct and/or incompetence which have been referred by the Complaints Committee following investigation.
The College is mandated to publish a summary of its disciplinary decisions and reasons when the Discipline Committee makes a finding of guilt. These disciplinary decisions are then published on the College’s website, on our blog and on CanLII, the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s website.
Asha Abdullahi Elmi, RECE #50038
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts. While supervising a group of pre-school aged children in a forested area, the Member failed to conduct a headcount or an attendance check when moving the group from one area to another in the forest.
As a result, two children became separated from the group and remained unsupervised for 15-20 minutes. During that time, the two children walked a significant distance and exited the forest near a 4-lane roadway. One of the children tried to run onto the roadway but three members of the public rushed to “grab him from oncoming traffic.” The Member only noticed that one child was missing and was notified by another staff member that the second child was also missing.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found the Member guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including 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 conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for seven months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration including mentorship. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Abena Brimpomaa Akosah, RECE #31699
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts. The Member was responsible for supervising a group of preschool-aged children in the Centre’s fenced playground. The Member failed to ensure that all the children were accounted for when she transitioned them back into the Centre.
As a result, a non-verbal child was left alone and unsupervised in the playground for 6 minutes until another staff member noticed the child in the playground and alerted the Member, who had not noticed that the child was missing until that point. The Member then went outside and brought the child into the Centre.
Following the incident, the Member failed to document the incident or report it to the Child’s parents or the Ministry of Education, as required by the Centre’s policies and adherence to the Child Care and Early Years Act (“CCEYA”).
Four days later, another staff member reported the incident to the Ministry, leading to an inspection by a Program Advisor (the “PA”). During the inspection, the Member provided false information to the PA, denying that there had been an incident of a child remaining unsupervised. Only after the PA reviewed video surveillance confirming that the child was indeed left unsupervised did the Member admit to leaving the child unsupervised in the playground.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found the Member guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including 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 conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The Panel stated: “Although failure to supervise children is, unfortunately, the most common type of incident that leads to allegations of misconduct heard by the Discipline Committee, the incident in question in this case is particularly egregious. This is because the Member, as a supervisor, was required to document and report the incident to the Ministry. She failed to do so, and lied about the incident while under investigation. The seriousness of her conduct demonstrates the Member’s lack of integrity, lack of judgment and lack of responsibility, such that it reflects negatively on the profession.”
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for twelve months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration including mentorship and successful completion of a course in ethics. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Kayla Jane King, RECE #51244
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts. The Member and a co-worker were responsible for supervising a group of preschool-aged children at the Centre’s fenced playground. The Member used her personal cell phone and exchanged text messages in violation of the Centre’s policy. The Member then told her colleague that she got a job offer with another employer and suggested bringing the children inside so that she could call the prospective employer.
The Member failed to line the children up and conduct a headcount while cross-referencing the attendance sheet as required by the Centre’s Playground Safety Policy. The Member also failed to do a physical walk around the playground to ensure no child was left behind before bringing the rest of the group into the Centre’s building. The Member also failed to conduct a second headcount before bringing the children into the preschool classroom, in contravention of the Playground Policy.
As a result of the Member’s actions, a child remained on the playground, alone and unsupervised for approximately 21 minutes. The child was crying and had urinated in her pants when found by another staff member who had brought another group of children outside. The Member did not notice that the child was missing until the child was brought back into the Centre.
The Centre’s Supervisor had verbally warned the Member regarding her supervision practices on three prior occasions, including two in the week leading up to the incident, and specifically about the importance of following the Playground Policy and avoiding personal cell phone use on the playground.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found the Member guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including 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 conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for six months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration including mentorship. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Latesha Kristen Parenteau, RECE # 70222
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts. The Member and another RECE were responsible for supervising a group of children during nap time. Two children with adjacent cots did not lay down. The Member’s colleague tightly wrapped one of the children in a blanket and restrained the child’s hands and feet. The Member’s colleague then forced a second child to lay down while the child cried and screamed. The Member’s colleague pushed the child back onto the cot a few times by her shoulders as the child resisted.
The Member came to assist her colleague with the second child. The Member forcefully wrapped the child and rocked the crying and screaming child for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until the child fell asleep. While the member was with that child, her colleague forcefully swaddled the other child in the adjacent cot and then the colleague put her leg over that child’s abdomen, holding it there for 10 to 15 minutes. After both children were asleep the Member and her colleague raised their middle fingers at the sleeping children in view of at least one other child who was not yet asleep.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found the Member guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including physically abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child 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 conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least ten months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration including coursework on building positive and responsive relationships with children and positive intervention strategies, and mentorship. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Sarah Catherine Kowlessar, RECE #48736
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts. While supervising a group of preschool aged children the Member asked the children to help her tidy up the classroom near the end of the day. One child continued playing with toys. The Member repeatedly told the child to clean up, and he became upset.
The Member then held the child by his hand and began walking with him towards another area of the room. The child was crying and upset. The child did not want the Member to hold his hand and resisted by pulling his hand away from the Member. The Member grabbed the child’s wrist in reaction to him pulling his hand away. The child continued crying while the Member held his wrist as they walked a short distance together.
As a result of the Member’s conduct, the child sustained bruising around his wrist, in the location he was held by the Member. The Children’s Aid Society investigated and verified that the Member used excessive physical force causing harm to the child.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found the Member guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including physically abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child 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 conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The Panel stated: “The fact that the CAS verified that the Member used excessive physical force that caused harm to the Child was compelling evidence for the Panel. Harming the Child was a failure to uphold the Standards in that it was a failure to know and abide by the legislation and was a violation of the Centre’s policy and a failure to maintain a caring, healthy and safe environment.”
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for six months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration including mentorship. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1,000 to reimburse the College for a portion of the prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.