A former educator at Kinderland at Sunshine Place has been given a 12-month conditional warning by the police following investigations into a video that showed her pushing a child.
Kinderland was fined S$5,000 for the incident at the Sunshine Place branch, which is in Choa Chu Kang. Its licence tenure has also been shortened from 36 to six months, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) on Tuesday.
The police stated that the conditional warning was given to the woman on Dec 18, 2023, for the offence of using criminal force against a person under 14, when asked by CNA.
This was issued in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers. The teacher was seen “forcefully pushing” a three-year-old child in April 2022.
Investigations were launched after footage of the incident surfaced in August 2023 and she was suspended by the school and arrested.
This incident followed a separate case where another teacher allegedly ill-treated children at Kinderland’s Woodlands Mart preschool.
The 33-year-old woman was arrested and later charged with one count of ill-treatment of a child or young person. The court case is ongoing. Kinderland was fined S$5,000 in September last year for the case at Woodlands Mart. Its licence tenure was also shortened to six months.
ECDA has rejected Kinderland’s recent application to add a new centre to the Partner Operator Scheme.
For the child mismanagement incidents at Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart and Kinderland @ Sunshine Place, ECDA took actions against the teachers involved and their centre leaders. Kinderland was given a financial penalty of $10,000 ($5,000 for incidents at each centre) and the licenses of both centres were immediately shortened from 36 to 6 months for close monitoring by ECDA. ECDA has also rejected Kinderland’s recent application to add a new centre into the Partner Operator Scheme (POP).
Separately, following investigations by the Singapore Police Force, the former educator from Kinderland @ Woodlands Mart has been charged with one count of ill-treatment of a child or young person and the court case is ongoing. The former educator at Kinderland @ Sunshine Place was administered a 12-month conditional warning.
“ECDA has zero tolerance for inappropriate management of children in our preschools. All operators, centres and educators are expected to do their part to keep children safe. The Kinderland incidents have revealed its HQ’s failure to exercise effective oversight of its centres’ staff training and supervision. It is therefore crucial that Kinderland HQ properly implements and sustains corrective actions across its centres to prevent child mismanagement from happening,” said Mr Tan Chee Wee, Chief Executive Officer of ECDA.
– ECDA (Early Childhood Development Agency)
The scheme supports appointed centres to improve the accessibility, affordability, and quality of childcare and infant care services. Kinderland apologised for the incidents at the two affected centres, expressing regret over the collective concern raised among parents and the general public.
To ensure child safety in preschools, educators must have the necessary training and professionalism to work with young children and be clear of their obligations to protect children and report inappropriate practices. Centre leaders must ensure effective supervision and guidance so that child-safe processes are carried out correctly and consistently. Lastly, operators must ensure there are effective systems in place to provide oversight of their centre(s) and trigger timely intervention when there is an issue. Operators must also foster a culture where all staff are empowered to stop inappropriate practices and report these in a timely manner.
– ECDA (Early Childhood Development Agency)
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