Effective July 27, 2023, by Order of the Discipline Committee:

1. Prior to the Member commencing or resuming employment as a Registered Early Childhood Educator (“RECE”) or engaging in the practice of early childhood education, as defined in section 2 of the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, the Member must successfully complete, with a minimum passing grade of 70% (or to the satisfaction of the Director of Professional Regulation (the “Director”) if a grade is not assigned) and at his own expense, the following course(s) (subject to the Director’s pre-approval):
   1. Positive intervention strategies ; 
   2. Anger management;
   3. Professional boundaries in interactions and communications with children; and
   4. Boundary violations (contained within the College’s Sexual Abuse Prevention program).
      
      
2. The Member must provide the Director with proof of enrollment and successful completion of the course(s).
   
   
3. Prior to the Member commencing or resuming employment as an RECE or engaging in the practice of early childhood education, as defined in section 2 of the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, the Member, at his own expense, will arrange a mentoring relationship with a Mentor, who: 
   1. is an RECE in good standing with the College, 
   2. is employed in a supervisory position, 
   3. has never been found guilty of professional misconduct and/or incompetence by the Discipline Committee of the College,
   4. is not currently found to be incapacitated by the Fitness to Practise Committee of the College,
   5. is not currently the subject of allegations referred to the Discipline Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee of the College, and 
   6. is pre-approved by the Director. In order to pre-approve the Mentor, the Member will provide the Director with all requested information, including (but not limited to) the name, registration number, telephone number, address and résumé of the Mentor. 

   
   

   For clarity, once the suspension ordered by the Discipline Committee ends, the Member can commence or resume employment as an RECE after arranging a mentorship relationship with a pre-approved Mentor.

4. Within 14 days of commencing or resuming employment as an RECE, the Member will ensure that the Director is notified of the name, address and telephone number of all employers. 
5. The Member will provide the Mentor with a copy of the following documents within 14 days of being notified that the Mentor has been approved by the Director, or within 14 days after the release of such documents, whichever is earliest: 
   1. the Panel’s Order, 
   2. the Agreed Statement of Facts, 
   3. the Joint Submission on Penalty and Costs, and 
   4. the Panel’s Decision and Reasons. 

6. The Member will meet with the Mentor at least every 2 weeks after the Mentor has been approved by the Director to discuss the following subjects: 
   1. review of the College’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, 
   2. the acts or omissions by the Member, which resulted in the Discipline Committee finding the Member guilty of professional misconduct, 
   3. the potential consequences of the misconduct to the parents/children affected, and to the Member’s colleagues, profession and self, 
   4. strategies for preventing the misconduct from recurring, and
   5. the Member’s daily practice and any issues that arise, to ensure that he is meeting the College’s Standards of Practice (without disclosing personal or identifying information about any of the children under the Member’s care, or clients of his employer(s)). 

7. After a minimum of 7 sessions, the Member can seek the Director’s permission to stop participating in the mentorship sessions by providing the Director with a report by the Mentor that sets out the following: 
   1. the dates the Member attended the sessions with the Mentor, 
   2. that the Mentor received a copy of the documents referred to in paragraph (e), 
   3. that the Mentor reviewed the documents set out in paragraph (e) and discussed the subjects set out in paragraph (f) with the Member, and 
   4. the Mentor’s assessment of the Member’s insight into his behaviour.

8. All documents delivered by the Member to the College or the Mentor will be delivered by email, registered mail or courier, and the Member will retain proof of delivery.
9. The College may require proof of compliance with any of the terms in this Order at any time.

On September 27, 2023, during or as a result of a complaint, report or investigation against Robert Tomas Phippard, Mr. Phippard resigned as a member of the College and agreed to never again engage in the practice of early childhood education in Ontario as defined in section 2 of the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007, use the title, “early childhood educator” or “registered early childhood educator”, or hold himself out as an early childhood educator.