Being abused will change anyone’s personality a bit, even a child’s. In some cases, these changes may be relieved considerably once the abuse is halted. In other cases, it may take a very long time for the child to fully recover from being abused. Abuse in daycare is sometimes accompanied by very tell-tale signs that parents can watch out for. These aren’t always indications that there is abuse going on, but they may add further reasons to believe suspicions you may already harbor.
Daycare child abuse is felt, of course, most acutely by the child and they’ll sometimes be very resistant to going back to the facility. Most often, there will be a pattern of the child acting up when they’re heading to the facility. If this happens over and over and there’s a clear association between bad behavior and going off to daycare, it may be time to take a closer look at what’s going on. Talking to other parents is always a good start but, more importantly, listen to your child.
Daycare abuse will sometimes fill children with feelings of guilt and shame. In some cases, an abuser will encourage these feelings in the children to keep them quiet about what’s going on. It’s not normal for children to have a heavy weight on their shoulders or to seem like they’re holding something back. Even in cases where children have done something that might get them in trouble, it will be pretty obvious that they’re hiding something. In the case of abuse, however, they may be so terrified of the abuser that they won’t open up at all. If you can’t get through to them, professional help may be the best option. Again, talking to other parents is also a good option.
Professional help can also be found in the form of an attorney. If it turns out that there is abuse going on at the facility and it’s stopped by authorities, you might be able to sue the facility for damages. An attorney will be able to tell you whether or not you can.
Remember that not all cases go to court. Some of them are settled out of court when the party being sued doesn’t want to go through the expense of a trial and, most especially, when they know they’re going to lose. A good attorney can help you go after them.