Daycare is a place designed for parents to take their children so that they can focus on continuing to provide for them. Parents are supposed to be able to trust that their children will be treated by the daycare staff just as they would treat their own. Unfortunately, things don't always go according to plan. So, here are a few things that can happen to your child if neglected either intentionally or unintentionally at daycare.
Does Daycare Neglect Have to Be Intentional?
No, neglect does not have to be intentional at all. Neglect encompasses any injuries caused by a caregiver.
What Are Some Examples of Intentional Neglect?
Intentional neglect is when a daycare employee or owner knowingly commits an act such as sexual abuse or psychological abuse. Intentional neglect is also where the daycare employee physically beats or assaults the minor. In common terms, putting their hands on our kids without permission.
What Is Unintentional Neglect?
Unintentional neglect is when the caregiver fails to provide the necessities of life to the child or simply doesn't have the skills or knowledge to care for a young child. For example, if a daycare worker is in charge of too many kids but doesn't report it to her supervisor, this can be unintentional neglect. We all know what happens when one parent is in charge of watching 2 to 3 kids. Now, imagine that same parent is in charge of watching 15 to 20 kids at once. This is where kids get hurt, but not necessarily through the intentional acts of a daycare worker.
Check out our article, What Are A Few Common Causes Of Daycare Injuries?
How Can I Tell if My Kid Is Being Neglected While at Daycare?
Depending on what happened, you can see it. For example, a broken bone, open cuts, or bruises. These are visible injuries. You may not know the cause yet, but you need to ask your kid about them. Take photos if you think they may be related to the daycare facility.
You may not find out about non-visible injuries right away. Ask your child how his or her day was and what they did. If anything seems strange, then ask more. For example, if your child seems more withdrawn or quiet than normal, try to figure out why. Is he or she suddenly sick? Or is there something more? Another example is hearing your kid say they spent time with a specific daycare worker alone and on more than one occasion. That is not normal. You want to do more digging, but these are just a few of the indicators.
Check out some of the signs of daycare abuse and neglect.
What Are Some of the Physical Injuries that Commonly Occur at Daycare Facilities?
We generally see broken bones, such as femurs, arms, collarbones, and feet. This can happen when kids are left unsupervised and not being monitored closely. It can also happen when a younger kid is left with a group of older kids. Bullying is, unfortunately, still a problem; that's why it's so important for a childcare worker to step in.
Brain injuries are also common with daycare injuries. Whether it is a concussion or other various types of brain injuries, they tend to be more common in children as they don't yet have fully developed skulls. Additionally, kids are not as familiar with equipment as we are as adults. So, they may be playing with a jump rope, and it gets caught around their neck. If a daycare worker is not present or watching too many kids and doesn't notice, this can result in a brain injury.
Sexual or psychological abuse can happen as well. These types of abuse are common because parents sometimes have a harder time finding out about it. It may not be as apparent as a bruise or a cut. Plus, the kids are young, ages 1-10. They don't know how to express what is happening to them as adults can. They want to, but it is not as easy. Daycare workers who commit these horrible attacks try to make it seem normal and make the kids feel at fault, or they may threaten kids to keep it a secret. So, that may cause the child to lose self-confidence and become fearful.
Make sure to check out these Signs of Daycare Neglect or Abuse by following the link.
I am not a doctor or licensed counselor, but these are just some types of injuries and causes we see with clients that come in our door. When handling a daycare case, we also investigate prior acts of neglect at that facility or that specific employee. These are not isolated events, and daycare facilities must be held accountable.
How The Button Law Firm Can Help with Your Daycare Injury Case
Contact us if you have any questions about an incident regarding neglect at a daycare. You can reach us by calling our office at 214-699-4409 or filling out our contact form. We will help explain your rights as a parent, inform you of when you need a lawyer and when you may not, and give you peace of mind. No pressure call. Just let us know that you want to gather some information, and we will send you our FREE daycare injury guide for parents.
You can also download our free daycare injury guide from our website by following this link:
As always, we want you to be informed during your decision-making process. We would love to help you find answers to your questions along your journey.
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