Amara Jaroudi admits to using unreasonable discipline at Sydney childcare centre

A Sydney childcare educator has admitted to committing disturbing acts against vulnerable babies and toddlers who were force fed until they vomited, kept in highchairs for hours and yanked by their arms.

Sydney childcare educator Amara Jaroudi has pleaded guilty to using unreasonable discipline on children under care. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A childcare educator has admitted to disturbing and unreasonable discipline of vulnerable babies and toddlers in Sydney, a court has heard.

Children were force fed until they vomited, kept in highchairs for hours and yanked by their arms.

Amara Jaroudi and her boss who was owner of the childcare service, Thomas Fanous, have pleaded guilty to several counts of using unreasonable discipline and failing to keep children safe.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Fanous was the sole director of the childcare company while Jaroudi was a senior staff member.

The charges relate to eight children who attended the centre over a seven-month period.

Childcare centre owner Thomas Fanous (right), pictured with his lawyer, has pleaded guilty to a range of offences. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Alarmingly, three children were force fed on a number of occasions where Jaroudi would hold the child’s chin and spoon food into their mouths until full.

If they didn’t swallow, she squirted water into their mouth which caused vomiting, with Jaroudi putting one child’s head into a garbage bin while he threw up.

Two children were kept in highchairs for up to six hours a day and would only be removed for nappy changes, photos of rest time or when parents collected them.

One child became so distressed in the highchair he would hit himself and cry.

Court documents revealed another girl fell onto the floor and had a lump on her head because she was placed into a broken highchair.

This was done despite a clear policy that stated children were only allowed to be in highchairs for meal times and that they must be checked daily for safety.

Jaroudi yanked several of the children by the arm, dragged and pinched them and threw them on the floor while she covered the mouth of one child who was crying.

Also, a mother’s complaint about marks on her child was not reported to the regulatory authority, while a 16-year-old educator was left unsupervised with the children despite not completing training.

Childcare educator Amara Jaroudi failed to have her charges dealt with under the Mental Health Act. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

The services’ policy stated corporal punishment, intimidation, or isolation was “never to be used” and if children displayed “inappropriate behaviour” a plan should be made with parents and other professionals.

The court documents said some of the educators felt “fearful and intimidated” and did not feel they could speak about issues at the service.

The Department of Education laid charges against the company and Fanous pleaded guilty to eight counts of ensure there was no unreasonable discipline, failing to notify the regulatory authority of a complaint that the national law had been contravened, failing to ensure protections were in place so children were harmed or at risk of hazard, not ensuring an educator was supervised and failing to operate the service that ensured the safety, health and wellbeing of children.

Jaroudi pleaded guilty to seven counts of a staff member subjecting a child to unreasonable discipline.

Jaroudi and Fanous will be sentenced in April and March.

Jaroudi sought for her charges to be diverted under the Mental Health Act, claiming there was a nexus between her diagnosis of major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety disorder and her crimes.

Jaroudi said she felt intimidated by Fanous, claiming when she tried to resign he threatened her, saying “if you f--k with my business, I will ruin your life”.

Magistrate Julie Zaki accepted Jaroudi had a mental health impairment and had sought counselling however noted the offences against the children were “of a very serious nature”.

“The conduct was persistent and prolonged and some of the children were vulnerable and subjected to hours of mistreatment,” she said.

“I don’t doubt her mental health impacted on life but I struggle to make a link between her depression and anxiety and the mistreatment of children.”

Ms Zaki refused the application, determining Jaroudi’s charges would be dealt with at law.

During sentencing submissions in Fanous’ case last week, a Department of Education prosecutor submitted there were elements of “concealment”, adding Fanous attended the childcare centre at least once a week and his behaviour made educators fearful.

Fanous’ defence lawyer accepted the centre “failed” to report complaints and that as the director he was liable for the incidents that occurred in his centre.

The lawyer said Fanous specifically told educators not to put children in highchairs, claiming Jaroudi ignored the direction.

Jaroudi and Fanous will be sentenced on April 16 and March 28 respectively.

Originally published as Amara Jaroudi admits to using unreasonable discipline at Sydney childcare centre