An early childhood teacher who was struggling with a methamphetamine addiction was taking the drug before work, on her lunch break and working under the influence.

The teacher appeared before the Teacher’s Disciplinary Tribunal today, where the Complaints Assessment Committee (CAC) called for her teacher’s registration to be cancelled for serious misconduct.

“I miss the children and I am fully aware of the danger that I put them in. I’m remorseful for that, I apologise,” she told the tribunal through tears.

The teacher, who has name suppression, told the tribunal she was struggling with addiction while working at a childcare centre in 2023 and 2024.

“I’m only 22 days sober but I’d like to believe, and I feel confident, in a year’s time I’ll be able to go back into the teaching sector.”

The CAC submitted that between October 2023 and September 2024 the teacher used methamphetamine during the working week.

This included before work in the mornings and during her lunch break before returning to the classroom in the afternoon. It claims she was under the influence of meth during work hours while responsible for the care and welfare of learners.

It also said she failed to inform her employer of her drug use.

She has not been teaching since the end of 2024.

CAC’s counsel Evan McCaughan told the tribunal the committee had a lot of respect for the teacher for the steps she had taken to begin her sobriety journey.

But he said she wasn’t far enough into her recovery for it to be confident the same offending won’t happen again and was seeking cancellation of her registration.

“We aren’t saying she can never teach again, she just needs to be further along the line in her recovery journey,” he said.

“We don’t have any independent evidence she has been abstinent from methamphetamine.

“Given how early it is in her recovery journey there is too much risk.”

The teacher told the tribunal she had taken a number of steps to help with her sobriety, including leaving someone in her life who was an enabler. She was working with a psychiatrist and would be seeking help through addiction services.

“Teaching is my passion and teaching is what I will strive for and reach sobriety.”

She said she accepted the charges and that cancellation of her registration was the only acceptable outcome.

“Even though it breaks my heart, I will accept the consequences.”

Tribunal deputy chairman James Gurnick said the tribunal would deliberate on the penalties and aim to release its decision in the next month.

It was likely the woman and the childcare centre would be granted permanent name suppression to support her recovery.

When asked by a tribunal member what it would mean to teach again, she said it would “mean the world”.

“The thought of losing my career, not being able to teach again is devastating to me.

“To be able to teach again, I’d do anything to prove myself.”