If you suspect that daycare child abuse may be going on in the facility that you’ve hired to take care of your children, the way to handle it depends upon what type of abuse you believe you have discovered. If you discover the signs of physical abuse, you have to take certain actions to make sure that they are documented properly so that the authorities can have evidence of it and so that you have that evidence in case you want to file a lawsuit against the daycare facility in question.
Physical Abuse
The signs of physical abuse that result from abuse in daycare are similar to the signs that you would see on anyone who had been a victim of violence. There may be bruising on the elbows, upper arms, around the neck and on the buttocks from being pushed and pulled and being hit. There may also be signs of abuse on the victim’s privates. If you discover marks that are consistent with abuse, the most important thing to do is to contact a physician. A physician can take a look at the marks, determine if it was likely abuse that caused them and, most importantly, make an official documentation of those injuries.
Psychological Abuse
The signs of psychological abuse are much more difficult to detect. Oftentimes, they manifest as nothing more than erratic behavior on the part of the person being abused. For example, the child’s personality may suddenly change when it’s time for them to go to the daycare center. They may become angry, or disobedient, or very aggressive. They may also become very shy and retiring and seem to have generally lost their spirit. If there is a significant and seven change in the child’s personality, it’s usually not a good sign.
Daycare child abuse needs to be handled by authorities before anything else happens. The most important thing is that the abuse has stopped. Afterwards, parents who are left to pick up the pieces and to deal with the damage caused by abusers may wish to consider pressing a lawsuit against the daycare facility for negligence. An attorney can say whether you have a case, whether it’s likely to win and whether it’s worth pursuing. If it is, there is a chance that you could win compensation from a jury award or from a settlement offered by the daycare facility.