Dirty bedding, bad food, a lack of fresh air and hot taps within reach of toddlers are some of the findings of a Feilding childcare centre which is being investigated.
Photo: RNZ / Sarah Robson
The Ministry of Education launched an investigation into Pitter Patter Education Centre after both former staff and parents said the owner was also smacking children and locking them in rooms.
The centre had its licence suspended for three weeks in November, but was allowed to re-open after owner Pauline Murphy agreed to stay away.
The ministry wrote to parents at the centre on Friday morning updating them on the ongoing investigation.
It said following an inspection in January, the ministry found the centre was breaching various regulations and licensing criteria.
Pitter Patter was allowed to stay open but the ministry had stripped it back to a provisional licence, with more conditions.
For four years she thought about the children she taught at the Waikato centre in 2017 and the complaint she felt was never heard. The academic and fully qualified early childhood teacher didn t stay long because of the control and restraint techniques she said were used as punishment for misbehaviour. The woman said it was common practice for children to be put in the bathroom unsupervised for longer than 20 minutes if they used toilet talk – words like poo or bum. “I remember one particular child had been put into the toilet and just forgotten about and when I went to check on him off my own bat I saw he was just swinging off the bars in there and he could have had an accident. Other things that would happen would be grabbing children by the arms and yanking them.
ECE teacher: There was just silence from Ministry of Education over child abuse fears at daycare
5 Feb, 2021 12:42 AM
6 minutes to read
A teacher who reported an ECE centre for punishing toddlers by putting them in isolation or forcing them to sit on a mat for hours fears the abuse is continuing. Photo / File
A teacher who reported an ECE centre for punishing toddlers by putting them in isolation or forcing them to sit on a mat for hours fears the abuse is continuing. Photo / File
RNZ
By Charlotte Cook of RNZ
A teacher who reported an early childhood centre for punishing toddlers by putting them in isolation or forcing them to sit on a mat for hours fears the abuse is continuing.
A ministry spokeswoman said the assessment could take weeks, but the ministry would act if something needed urgent attention. The ministry’s deputy secretary of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey said: “Our investigation into complaints about Pitter Patter Education Centre is ongoing. “We will provide an update to parents about the investigation before the end of February. The centre is open but Pauline Murphy is not permitted to be on site.” Angela Bary was installed as the centre s manager in December and was responsible for all management, including teaching, enrolments, child attendance and compliance. Murphy has not responded to requests for comment.