Children’s Services has revoked the operating licence of an Erin Ridge daycare after multiple investigations over the past nine months led to nearly two dozen regulatory citations.
Parents with children attending Erin Ridge Children's Academy learned through a Feb. 23 email from the facility they needed to find other child care options as of March 1 after Children's Services stripped the daycare's operator, Daljit Chauhan, of her licence.
In a statement, Chauhan said she's hired a lawyer and is looking to appeal ELCC's decision to revoke her licence.
“I cannot go into further details as I have started legal action with my lawyer in regards to the daycare closing and other matters revolving around this,” she said.
“There are also several parents who do not agree with licensing's decision and have sent letters as such to licensing officers in support of the daycare remaining open and to my good character.”
Starting in June, staff from Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) completed five investigations and issued 22 citations to the daycare. The daycare opened its doors in January 2022.
One parent, who spoke with The Gazette on the condition they not be identified to protect the identity of their child, said it wasn't until they received a call from Children's Services later in the day on Feb. 23 they learned of the Academy's history.
“It was all a surprise,” the parent said. “We were never told about it.”
The parent said throughout the 13 months their child attended the facility, they weren't informed ELCC staff had completed any investigations or issued any citations; however, in a statement to The Gazette, Chauhan said all ELCC inspection reports and citations with orders to remedy were posted on the "parent's board" located in the front entrance.
During the inspections of the facility, Children’s Services stated allegations “nap time practices at the program are not meeting children's [needs] and are not developmentally appropriate” were substantiated.
A report by Children’s Services outlines how children aged four to six were told to nap just after noon on Feb. 7, and not permitted to get up or do quiet activities until 3 p.m.
A Feb. 10 inspection summary also says ELCC staff observed video footage of Chauhan working alone with children, despite a safety plan that required her not to work directly alone with children.
The Gazette could not determine what incident or event led to Chauhan being required to abide by a safety plan that involved not working directly with children alone.
“While observing the footage in the infant room, inappropriate interactions and sleep methods were noted with infants,” the report says. “It was also observed that (Chauhan) was picking up infants and moving them in a rough manner. One infant was taken from their mat on the floor and placed in a crib. A blanket was put over their face by (Chauhan).”
“(Chauhan) then went to sit on the floor between two mats, an infant on each mat ... then (Chauhan) placed a blanket over the infant's face, and placed her palm on the child's head/face holding it. The other child was [lying] on the mat on their back. (Chauhan) was observed to take the infant's right arm, and place it under (Chauhan's) leg, holding the infant still and in place. This child also had their face covered by a blanket, and (Chauhan's) palm placed on the infant's face/head.”
RCMP called
The Feb. 10 Children’s Services investigation also confirmed an incident of alleged inappropriate disciplinary practices that led one parent to contact the RCMP.
On Feb. 7, Amy Pennoyer's four-year-old son was told to lie on the daycare floor as punishment for an hour, and when the boy tried to move, Chauhan pinned him down with her legs.
In an interview, Pennoyer said she remembered her son being “very upset” when he was picked up from the daycare that evening.
“(On Feb. 9) I gave them notice and said he's not coming back,” Pennoyer said. “It really shook me.”
That weekend, after speaking with another parent whose child was involved in the incident, Pennoyer called the RCMP to see if charges were warranted.
Cst. M.J. Burroughs, a spokesperson for the St. Albert RCMP detachment, told The Gazette that Mounties had received a report about the incident but no criminal charges arose, and there is no ongoing criminal investigation.
The ELCC inspection summary from Feb. 10 states as a result of repeated violations to the safety plan put in place, Chauhan was “asked to remain off site until further decisions can be made regarding the status of the program's licence.”
Broken trust
Pennoyer was unaware that Chauhan had been instructed not to work directly alone with children until The Gazette told her.
“If she wasn't allowed to (work directly alone with) children for safety, why is she running a daycare? Why didn't they shut her down instantly?” she said.
“These are our children, why are there not stricter guidelines?”
When asked why she didn't abide by the safety plan put in place, Chauhan said she couldn't comment because of the appeal.
Other investigations
The daycare was investigated for the first time on June 8 following a complaint, according to the Child Care Lookup tool on the Alberta government's website. The tool does not state what the complaint was, or provide any details other than what section of the Early Learning and Child Care Act regulations the facility was found to not be in compliance with.
During the June 8 complaint investigation, ELCC inspection staff issued five non-compliance citations, including not having the minimum amount of staff working onsite and a failure to report any incident that “may seriously affect the health or safety of the child.”
On Aug. 23, another investigation was conducted at the daycare after another complaint was filed. Inspection staff issued three more citations, including children not being appropriately supervised at all times, and an issue with unreasonable “child guidance.”
A third complaint-initiated investigation was completed on Nov. 4, and seven more citations were issued. The seven citations included another incident of unreasonable child guidance, and a confirmed incident “involving physical restraint, confinement, or isolation of a child.” Following this investigation, Chauhan's operating licence was put on probationary status, and a March 1 deadline was given to the facility to remedy all outstanding non-compliance issues.
A complaint investigation on Jan. 4 led to one citation involving the facility failing to post menus for meals and snacks on the premises.
Although not listed on the Child Care Lookup, an inspection summary written by ELCC staff obtained by The Gazette states two separate complaints about the daycare were received on Feb. 8 and investigated on Feb. 10.
Regulations working
The anonymous parent quoted earlier said they felt the regulations put in place worked as they were supposed to in this situation.
“On one hand, the regulatory acts and the regulatory body worked, on the other hand, should there not have been an immediate closure?” they said.
Both parents told The Gazette they are now trying to figure out future child care options, but their sense of trust in daycare facilities has been hurt by their experience with Erin Ridge Children's Academy.
“I don't want to put him in another one,” Pennoyer said. “Not just because I'm scared. Like, yes, I could find a daycare, (but) if he ends up being in another terrible situation, how is kindergarten going to go?”
The other parent said it might take some time to move on from the experience.
“The idea that (my partner) was so comfortable with this facility ... with somebody (they) trusted, that's going to be a huge emotional hurdle for (them) and for me too.”
Chinenye Anokwuru, senior press secretary for Children's Services Minister Mickey Amery, said staff are available to provide support and assistance to families affected by the closure of Erin Ridge Children's Academy.
