A childcare worker has been charged over the alleged assault of a four-year-old boy at a centre in Bathurst earlier this year.<\/p>\n
It is alleged the 18-year-old woman dragged the child by the arm twice at the centre on July 11 this year, the second time throwing him onto a mattress.<\/p>\n
The child’s shirt was allegedly torn near the armpit during the incident.<\/p>\n
The woman has been issued a court attendance notice for common assault and is due to appear in Bathurst Local Court on November 17.<\/p>\n
The ABC cannot identify the centre for legal reasons, but in a statement the centre said the educator’s employment was terminated immediately after the child and their parent notified it of the incident.<\/p>\n
It said the family continues to attend the centre and “expressed appreciation for the prompt and compassionate manner in which the matter was handled”.<\/p>\n
“We uphold a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any form of child abuse, neglect, or inappropriate conduct,” the centre said.<\/p>\n
It said it immediately notified the NSW Department of Education and the Office of the Children’s Guardian.<\/p>\n
“We have worked closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary steps were taken, and that the concerns of the family involved were addressed respectfully and thoroughly,” the centre said.<\/p>\n
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The former educator will appear in the Bathurst Local Court next month. (ABC News: Lani Oataway)<\/p>\n
In a statement, the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority said “the educator has been stood down and is not working with children”.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson said it is continuing to work with police to investigate the incident.<\/p>\n
It is the second time a childcare worker in the Bathurst region has been arrested within the past week.<\/p>\n