The Discipline Committee makes decisions in cases where an RECE is accused of professional misconduct and/or incompetence by the Complaints Committee after an investigation.
The College is required to publish summaries of all Discipline Committee decisions. We are also required to publish written decisions from Discipline cases, which can be found on the Hearings Office’s website and on CanLII, the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s website.
KRISHANTHY LOGANATHAN, RECE #124265
Facts: The RECE and two non-RECE staff did not notice that two children left the child care centre’s playground alone and unsupervised. The children walked through the parking lot to a forested area and continued for about one kilometre, crossing a number of streets, until they arrived at a house one of them recognized. The homeowner noticed the children on her driveway and returned them to the centre. The children were unsupervised for approximately 30 minutes.
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct, including failing to supervise a child and failing to maintain the standards of the profession. The Committee also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 7-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee wrote that unsupervised children can be in danger no matter how long they are unsupervised and no matter how far they are from supervision. They are concerned that failure to supervise children remains a challenge and urges all RECEs, centres, and supervisory staff to enhance their awareness of this issue.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Christhel Arminthe Alcide, RECE #132937
Facts: The RECE failed to notice that a 5-year-old child with a disability walked away from the fenced-in playground by themself. The child crossed a busy street onto a nearby field. Firefighters who happened to be passing by returned the child to the centre. The child was unsupervised for approximately 5-10 minutes.
At the time of the incident, the centre’s fencing was under construction and certain sections were missing. Staff were required to supervise children at all times during outdoor play to ensure that they did not approach or use spaces that were under repair.
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct, including failing to supervise a child and breaching standards of practice. The Committee also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 4-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; and a verbal reprimand.
The Committee noted that it was the RECE’s responsibility to make sure the environment was safe. When the state of centre’s fence made the environment unsafe, the RECE should have told her supervisor that it was not safe for the children be outside until the fencing was fixed.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Nathalie Sauvé, RECE #46559
Facts: On multiple occasions over a six-month period, the RECE forcefully grabbed, pushed and/or pulled children, and physically restrained them. She once told a colleague that the wanted to grab a child by the throat as she made a strangling gesture. Another time, she took a child’s milk away as a form of punishment. On a number of other occasions, she used harsh, aggressive and threatening language with children to try to manage their behaviour and assert her dominance. Many of the children cried in response to the RECE’s conduct.
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct, including verbally, physically, and psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child, and failing to maintain the standards of the profession. The Committee also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dish.onourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered revocation of the ECE’s certificate of registration; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee expressed ongoing concern about the number of discipline cases involving abuse, especially occurring over an extended period of time and involving multiple children. This type of misconduct must be dealt the severest penalty – revocation.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”. linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Sarah Anne Barham, RECE # 60644
Facts: The RECE was in a supervisory role at a child care centre. She once left a five-year-old child alone and unsupervised in a washroom and failed to notice when the child wandered away. The child was found approximately 4-5 minutes later near a stairwell, close to a door leading out of the building.
The RECE:
- did not document this incident
- did not tell other staff to report it
- gave false and/or misleading information about it to the centre’s management
- did not report to the Ministry of Education (“Ministry) and the Children’s Aid Society (“CAS”) and did not instruct other staff to do so
On another occasion, the RECE was supervising a three-year-old child who hit their head in the classroom. The child briefly lost consciousness and appeared to stop breathing for a moment. The RECE refused to call 911 and directed staff not to call 911. The RECE then left the centre without ensuring that the child’s safety and well-being was attended to.
After this incident, the RECE:
- disposed of an initial witness report prepared by another staff member and then directed the staff member to create a false and/or misleading incident report, which the RECE signed
- did not report to the Ministry and CAS and did not instruct other staff to do so
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct including
- failing to supervise a child
- failing to maintain the standards of the profession
- signing or issuing a document that she knew or ought to have known contained a false, improper or misleading statement
- failing to keep records,
- contravening a law in a way that put children at risk
The Committee also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 20-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee felt that the RECE’s conduct was particularly egregious given the position of trust inherent in her role as a supervisor. She showed a serious lack of integrity, judgment, and professional responsibility, and she left a child vulnerable while they faced a potentially serious health risk.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Maria Muchaneta Mushore, RECE #143135
Facts: Despite being aware that a two-year-old child had a severe dairy allergy and an anaphylaxis plan, the RECE served the child cereal with milk instead of their dairy substitute. The child developed anaphylactic symptoms, including hives and swelling around their chin, mouth, and eyes. After the incident, the RECE gave false and/or misleading information to management about how the child was exposed to milk. She also gave management with a false and/or misleading incident report.
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct, including
- failing to supervise a child,
- failing to maintain the standards of the profession,
- signing or issuing in her professional capacity, a document she knew or ought to have known contained a false, improper, or misleading statement, and
- falsifying a record relating to her professional responsibilities.
The Committee also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 9-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee was troubled by the RECE’s dishonesty and her lack of integrity and accountability. This both undermined her professionalism and put a child’s health and well-being at risk.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
UZMA SAOOD, RECE #55997
Facts: The RECE, a licensed home child care care provider, was solely responsible for supervising six children at her home. She left two preschoolers alone and unsupervised in the backyard without making sure the gate was locked. The RECE did not notice that the preschoolers opened the gate, left the property, crossed the road, and walked toward a nearby pond. The RECE did not notice that the children were absent until they were returned by two strangers approximately 10-15 minutes later.
Later that day, the RECE provided false and/or misleading information about the incident to her supervising agency to downplay the severity of what happened. When the Children’s Aid Society began investigating the incident, the RECE also provided false and/or misleading information.
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct, including failing to supervise a child and failing to maintain the standards of the profession. The Committee also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 11-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee was struck by the RECE’s lying and manipulation to downplay the incident in attempt to seek a more favourable outcome for herself. The Committee was also concerned that the RECE had a prior history of failing to properly supervise children and did not appear to learn from her mistakes.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Kaylee Andrea Pansieri, RECE #103490
Facts: The RECE engaged in aggressive and forceful conduct with a three-year-old Autistic child. This lasted for approximately six minutes in the classroom and hallway and included grabbing and pulling the child, dragging them across the floor by their wrist, and restraining them with her arms and legs while the child showed signs of distress.
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct, including physically, psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child, and failing to maintain the standards of the profession. They also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 14-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee wrote that while forceful and violent conduct toward a child is never acceptable, the RECE’s conduct was especially concerning because the child had special needs. The RECE ignored the child’s individualized support plan, which included positive behaviour guidance strategies that would have supported them in a respectful and helpful way.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Dylan Mitchell Peterson, RECE #56340
Facts: On multiple occasions, the RECE forcefully rough-handled and physically restrained preschool-aged children. He also spoke aggressively and yelled at them, sometimes directly in their face. He mocked and belittled some of the children and made inappropriate comments such as, “I’m the alpha male, you need to listen to me.” Several of the children were scared, startled, saddened and cried because of the RECE’s conduct.
Decision: The Committee decided that the Member was guilty of professional misconduct, including physically, verbally and psychologically or emotionally abusing a child and failing to maintain the standards of the profession. They also decided that he was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 12-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee was struck by the fact that the RECE’s supervisors had tried a number of interventions to correct his conduct before he was reported to the College. Despite these opportunities to improve and despite knowing he could face disciplinary consequences, he continued to engage in misconduct. This showed a profound lack of self-reflection, a refusal to accept feedback, and an unwillingness to improve his practice.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Janine Jodi Ruby Anne Corbiere, RECE #53338
Facts: The RECE was forceful, aggressive and demeaning toward a four-year-old child for approximately 10 minutes. This included yelling and cursing, mocking them and pushing them, which made the child cry. The RECE said she was experiencing work-related stress on the day of the incident but felt she could not leave work early because the centre was short-staffed.
Decision: The Committee decided that the RECE was guilty of professional misconduct, including physically, verbally, and psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child, and failing to maintain the standards of the profession. The Committee also decided that she was guilty of acting in a way that other RECEs would find disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and that is unbecoming an RECE.
The Committee ordered a 9-month suspension; terms, conditions or limitations meant to improve the RECE’s practice; a verbal reprimand; and that the RECE repay $1,000 of the College’s costs.
The Committee emphasized that when an RECE’s circumstances affect their ability to perform their job, it is their responsibility to speak up and/or remove themselves from the situation. The safety and wellbeing of children must be the top priority.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.