Daycare Abuse: Know The Signs And Take Action
Posted on: 30 October 2017
When you envisioned your life with children, you may never have imagined that you would be leaving them at a daycare center or babysitter for the day. Fortunately, if you do need or want to work there are more good choices available for care for your little one than ever before. If you are like most, you've heard the horror stories about children abused or neglected at these places and you likely felt grateful that your child is being kept in a safe and healthy environment. Read on to learn why you must never let your guard down when it comes to keeping your child safe.
Catch Them Off-Guard
There's a lot to learn from just dropping in on your daycare provider unannounced. Even if everything seems fine, the reaction of the caregivers to this visit could tell you something. A caregiver with nothing to hide will welcome unscheduled visits, within reason. Be careful not to be seen by your child, who may think its time to go home! Some daycare centers have windows where you can see your child, but not be seen by them. Another relatively new feature with some daycare centers is the ability to use an app on your phone or computer to view your child any time of the day through cameras posted throughout the premises.
Know the Signs of Possible Abuse
- Changes in habits and behavior are one of the most common signs that something is going wrong with your child, such as:
- The child is now upset at being left at the daycare center, even though they previously loved it.
- The child is pretending to be sick to avoid attending the daycare.
- The child is now acting fearful around certain daycare workers.
- The child is using uncharacteristic behaviors, such as irritability, moodiness, and aggressiveness.
- The child has recently begun to have nightmares or night terrors.
- The child is acting out in a sexual nature inconsistent with their maturity level.
- The child is reverting back to behaviors found at a previous maturity level, such as bed-wetting, thumb sucking, and being clingy.
- The child has unexplained injuries.
Taken on their own, none of the above should be cause for alarm since children do sometimes exhibit unusual behavior and regressions for other reasons. Use your instincts, however, because if you feel something is wrong it's worth pursuing. If the worst has already occurred and your child is a victim of abuse at a daycare center, speak to a personal injury attorney right away. While no financial payment can bring back the innocence and well being of your child, you should make the wrongdoers pay in every way possible, from criminal to civil.
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