Choosing a daycare can be difficult, especially considering the pressure parents are usually under on a day-to-day basis. Though parents would like to personally examine every daycare center with the keen eye of a professional investigator, this isn’t always possible.
Yet we are all disturbed by statistics coming out of PreventChildAbuse.org and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which reports over 3.5 million cases of child abuse or neglect are reported to state and local Child Protective Services in a year. Unfortunately, some of these incidents occur within the supposedly safe institution called the daycare. Abuse and daycare neglect are a continuing problem, especially considering that according to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies only 13 states require any formal daycare training before hiring new staff members, and only 11 states require licensing.
If you are concerned about the safety of your child then take your time in carefully choosing a daycare. The New Parents Guide suggests the five following tips:
- Research all possibilities. Do not be content to search online but ask around for referrals from friends, family members, doctors, etc.
- Call the company and talk to a manager to discern the general feel about the facility. Ask about their policies and activities. It’s also best to pay the facility a visit in person.
- Interview parents or children who attend the center or have attended in the past. Ask for reasons why the daycare center is acceptable or unacceptable.
- Take your child to see the center and observe how he gets along with others and with the teacher. Your child may have a sense that something is off. If so, trust his instincts and keep looking.
- Make sure the daycare facility is licensed, appropriately staffed and clean.
Remember that daycare abuse and daycare neglect go hand-in-hand. If a daycare center is abusive, they will also be neglectful of a child’s needs. If a daycare facility is neglectful in matters of basic health and sanity, they could also be abusive. Choosing a daycare center is a very serious matter so take your time in examining all these factors. The Child Care Aware suggests that you stay involved even after selecting a center, and arrange for parent-caregiver meetings regularly, or even volunteer to help inside the facility. This will allow you personal supervision and also pressure the facility into behaving their best at all times.
Imagine how much better every daycare center would be if parents got more involved in the day-to-day activities. Violating your child’s innocence is unforgivable. A daycare center owes you a responsibility—to keep your child happy and safe. If there is any sign of daycare abuse or daycare neglect then get your child out of harm’s way. You may also want to consult a lawyer who specializes in daycare lawsuits.
Rasansky Law Firm can help you in this matter, as we have years of experience and successful daycare lawsuits behind our name. Call 1-800-ATTORNEY for a free consultation about your rights.
RASANSKY LAW FIRM
2525 McKinnon Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
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I just quit a job at a day care where a few of the workers seemed to be absolutely terrorizing the children. When I saw a group of ten two-and-a-half year old children walking silently and single-file down a long hall, that should have given me an indication that there was something wrong. Groups of two-year-old children simply can’t behave so obediently like this for long periods of time. These little children had grim expressions on their faces, they were wide-eyed and their teacher walked along with them with a stern expression on her face. She was watching them like a hawk. It was apparent that the children were terrified of her. I should have quit right then. I also witnessed this lady having these ten two-year-olds sitting in chairs at tables for a solid hour and a half filling-in coloring worksheets. They were coloring, coloring, and coloring while she marched around the room supervising them. Unfortunately, I also witnessed her terrorizing them by making all sorts of threats promising various types of punishment. I reported her to the director and she basically accused me of making all the details up in some sort of “revenge” tactic. These women both went to the same evangelical church and they were long-time friends. The director took sides with the Day Care Drill Sargeant against me. I quit without notice.