Child care teacher mistreated children, staff

AUCKLAND: An Auckland child care teacher has been deregistered and ordered to pay $31,000 in costs after her ‘‘rough physical treatment’’ of children and staff alike amounted to serious misconduct.

Natasha Joy Ashton, of Manukau, had been working at The Children’s Corner Papatoetoe early childhood centre for 18 years when she was promoted to the role of centre manager in July, 2013.

Two years after her promotion, allegations arose about her conduct. As a result, a mandatory report was made to the Education Council.

The allegations against Ashton were then brought to the Council’s Complaints Assessment Committee’s attention and investigated before the matter was passed on to the NZ Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal.

Its report said after hearing all the evidence, the tribunal found that during her time at the centre, Ashton engaged in rough physical treatment and psychological abuse of children and illtreatment of children.

‘‘Witnesses stated that she was disrespectful and unprofessional in her treatment of staff, including physical illtreatment and threats of dismissal and using racially offensive language.

‘‘They also discovered she had dubious financial recordkeeping and lied to providers of professional development.’’

At a fourday hearing about the case, allegations made by staff members and witnesses were extensive and detailed.

The daycare’s owner and a director, Barry Cornelius, requested that the name of the daycare be suppressed as revealing it publicly may be financially detrimental to the centre. The tribunal decided against it.

Ashton has been censured, her registration cancelled and an order made that the register be annotated.

She is ordered to pay $20,000 towards the CAC’s costs and a total of $11,000 towards the tribunal’s costs.