<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A 41-year-old woman has been charged after allegedly slapping a three-year-old boy at a Melbourne early childhood education centre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Shakila Nasseri was sacked for allegedly slapping three-year-old neurodiverse boy Kayce Barber at First Early Learning in Pakenham on October 17.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Narre Warren woman has been charged with aggravated assault and unlawful assault.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-storms-severe-weather-damaging-winds-large-hail-sydney/527cdd97-b529-44e5-adac-97b7ab338aad" target="_blank"><strong><span>Severe thunderstorms across NSW cause public transport delays</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is alleged Kayce was kicking and spitting at educators that morning when Nasseri picked him up in an attempt to calm him down.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He slapped Nasseri across the face and she allegedly slapped him back.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Child psychologists are sounding the alarm when it comes to using physical force as a form of punishment.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/former-melbourne-childcare-worker-charged-over-alleged-assault-of-toddler/4978e772-49c3-4bd8-acdf-6b22b8460ae4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The research is there. We know that you know these impacts of physical harm in early adulthood and childhood have significant impacts," psychologist Brittany Wadford said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kayce has settled into a new family daycare with just one or two children after he was kicked out of the Pakenham facility due to his physical behaviour, which mother Jaymie believes could be sparked by sensory processing issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He kind of melts down, so we just didn't feel we were getting a lot of support from the [managers] and everything was being put back on us, so I moved him to see if it was an environmental thing," Jaymie said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm trying my hardest as, you know, I can as a mum to try and get him the help that he desperately needs."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/why-did-she-take-innocent-children-hakyung-lee-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-for-double-murders/de19fd0f-3465-4fc3-a32b-648778389d45" target="_blank"><strong><span>NZ mum handed life in prison for murdering her children</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Due to privacy reasons it's unclear whether Nasseri's working with children check is still valid or if it has been cancelled.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Child safety advocates say an earmarked overhaul to the working with children system is desperately needed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The ability for employers to be able to look up workplace history and things like that, it is a fair way down the track," Australian Childcare Alliance vice president Nesha Hutchinson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That means Nasseri is banned from working in Victoria but could still apply to work interstate and in other vulnerable sectors like aged care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's lots more that needs to change further, but this kind of information sharing is what we need in order to keep children safe," Hutchinson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A new national childcare employee database is set to be rolled out in the coming months following urgent reforms to the childcare system.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>9News has been told Nasseri worked at the centre for around two years and has never been in trouble with the law before.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Parents from the centre said her behaviour was out of character.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"From every encounter I had with Shakila she was very nice, so I would never expect that to occur," one parent told 9News.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She's been bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates' Court in January.</span></div></div>