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.
Pawandeep Kaur, RECE #100878
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
Over the course of two months, while assigned to work with two other RECE’s in a childcare centre’s toddler room, the Member observed her colleagues engage in multiple instances of aggressive, forceful, and demeaning conduct toward at least seven children in the room.
Throughout the two months, the Member did not intervene or take steps to prevent the abusive conduct from recurring, nor did she document her colleagues’ conduct or report it to the Children’s Aid Society or the centre’s management, as required by her obligations under the Early Childhood Educators Act.
The abuse of the children was only discovered when the centre’s management was viewing the centre’s livestream video. This prompted a formal review. The police and Children’s Aid Society conducted investigations. The colleagues both pled guilty to assault contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada and were found guilty of professional misconduct and had their memberships revoked by the College’s Discipline Committee.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct against the Member pursuant to Ontario Regulation 223/08. This included 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; failing to keep records as required by her professional duties; contravening a law, which contravention has caused or may have caused a child who was under her professional supervision to be put at or remain at risk; and conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The Panel observed that this is a unique and egregious case in which the duties to intervene, document, and report are front and centre. Had the Member fulfilled those duties, she could have prevented the children under her care from suffering weeks of abuse. Instead, the Member showed complete disregard for the welfare and safety of the children in her care. Such conduct should not be tolerated.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least sixteen months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration, including coursework and mentorship. The Member was also required to appear before the Discipline Committee to be reprimanded, and was ordered to pay $1000 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”.
Anna Alevtinovna Sempl, RECE # 70869
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 children in a childcare centre’s outdoor playground, the Member failed to conduct a headcount before transitioning the children back into the centre. As a result, the Member did not notice that two children were hiding behind a dumpster and remained outside, alone and unsupervised.
The two children left the centre’s premises, crossed several streets, and walked approximately 700 metres to the home of a family friend of one of the children.
The Member did not notice that the children were missing until a parent came to pick up one of the children. The centre’s staff searched for the children within the centre and the surrounding neighbourhood and then called 911. In total, the children were unsupervised for approximately 40 minutes.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found that the evidence supported findings of several acts of professional misconduct against the Member pursuant to Ontario Regulation 223/08. This included 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 at least 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 $1000 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”.
Melanie Maureen Barbosa, RECE # 71742
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
While the Member and an Early Childhood Assistant were supervising a group of preschool-aged children within a childcare centre’s outdoor play area, the Member became frustrated when a non-speaking child with autism removed their shoes. The Member pulled the child by the arm and sat them down roughly on a tree stump. The Member then pushed the child’s upper body with her hand and impatiently put the child’s shoes back on while yelling at them. The Member then grabbed the child’s wrist and abruptly pulled them from the tree stump. The incident was observed by a member of the public who posted their concerns about it on Facebook and also notified the centre.
The Children’s Aid Society verified that the member used excessive force on a child. The police laid an assault charge, which was later withdrawn when the Member entered a peace bond.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found that the evidence supported findings of several acts of professional misconduct against the Member pursuant to Ontario Regulation 223/08. This included verbally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; physically 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 six months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1000 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”.
Christine Hélène Bojkov, RECE # 69401
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
On multiple occasions, the Member used physical force with a preschool-aged child under her supervision, including restraining the child with her body and holding the child upside-down by their legs. The Member also forcefully held the child on their cot and used harsh language towards them when they had difficulty at nap time.
The Member also used physical force and harsh words toward another child under her supervision.
On multiple different occasions, the Member roughly grabbed children and took them to the washroom, despite their refusal to go.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found that the evidence supported findings of several acts of professional misconduct against the Member pursuant to Ontario Regulation 223/08. This included verbally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; 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 acknowledged that while the Member was facing a stressful family medical situation at the time the abuse occurred, abuse of children is never acceptable. The Panel stressed that RECEs are held to a high standard and even one incident of abuse of a child is harmful to the child involved, the families that put their trust in RECEs, and the standing and reputation of RECEs in the eyes of the public. The Member’s conduct was unacceptable and inconsistent with the College standards and values.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least twelve months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay $1000 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”.
Gabrielle Simone Fischer-Aubé, RECE # 40896
Facts: The Member pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts.
During a period of approximately one-and-a-half months, the Member was involved in a series of ten separate incidents involving children under her supervision at a school. Some of the incidents involved the Member’s failure to follow the school’s procedures that prevented kindergarten children from moving through the school unsupervised. As a result, multiple children on multiple occasions ended up lost and alone in the school. This occurred despite multiple discussions between the Member and the school’s principal about her inappropriate conduct.
In other incidents, the Member failed to conduct proper headcounts or attendance of kindergarten children at dismissal. As a result, multiple children boarded the wrong bus, some ending up at the wrong location. Other children remained inside the school and were prevented from boarding their bus at all.
Finding: In its decision, the Panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found 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 noted that even after guidance and direction from the principal, the Member continued to act irresponsibly and unprofessionally by not ensuring the whereabouts of the children and by failing to adequately supervise them on multiple occasions. As the children were new to the school and its routines, they relied on the Member to guide them. Her repeated failure to supervise the children and follow the school’s procedures put the children at risk and jeopardized the development of positive and trusting relationships with the children and their families.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least three months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.