An abusive daycare is one of the nightmare scenarios that every parent has to watch out for. The good news is that most daycares are run by people who are very professional, good with children and who provide excellent service. There are some, however, that endanger children in various ways. Some of them are the type of places where outright daycare abuse takes place; others are guilty of neglecting children and causing them to come to harm because of it. One of the best ways to watch out for a bad daycare is to understand what makes a truly good daycare facility.
Abuse in daycare is much less likely at facilities that thoroughly screen their employees. This seems obvious enough, but there are some facilities that are limited in who they screen. Make sure that everyone who works at the daycare is screened, even if they tend to the grounds or drive the busses. Anyone who has access to children needs to be investigated. In many cases daycare abuse is committed by people who aren’t directly involved in childcare. Ask your daycare facility if they screen everyone who has access to the premises.
Remember to ask about new staff. Cases such as one recently heard in Rochester illustrate how a daycare worker can go from facility to facility, perpetuating a cycle of abuse that is harder to spot because of their moving around. When you see someone new at the facility, take the time to meet them. If you see a lot of childcare workers coming in and out of a facility, you may want to ask about the background checking again.
Daycare negligence oftentimes hurts children, even if it doesn’t involve direct acts of physical abuse. When you’re at the facility, make sure that the children are supervised adequately. When you walk in, you shouldn’t be able to gain direct access to the children without someone intercepting you and asking you who you are and why you’re there. Some facilities don’t have any abusers on staff, but set themselves up for situations where abusers can become a problem. Make sure to be on the lookout for those signs.
If you suspect there is some sort of abuse going on at your daycare facility, talk to other parents or, if you know for sure, the authorities. Contact a lawyer after the abuse has ended to consider filing a suit. Call us at 1-877-403-9378.