We expect daycare owners to hire qualified caregivers to work with children. This will be essential to the success of their business. A daycare owner can’t hire a person who does not have patience for young children. Unfortunately, this was the case at StarBright Learning Center.
What Happened At This Houston Daycare?
StarBright Learning Center, located in Houston, Texas, did not follow through with proper procedures for hiring, leading them to hire an unqualified daycare worker who abused a child while under their care. This lead to this employee using violence on a young child. Children are extremely delicate and must be handled with care as well as patience. At times it is hard to care for three children at a time, and most times, teachers are asked to look after twenty. Children can be extremely active and full of energy, and staff's patience should be required. Focus and awareness should also be required because that is what it takes when dealing with these little ones. No one ever said that this was an easy task, but this is something that the staff signed up for. Everyone must be held accountable for their actions. Starting with those at the top.
A mother went to go pick up her child from daycare, and on their way out of the building, she noticed that the child was visibly shaken and wouldn’t stop holding his left cheek. When she got him inside the car and asked him questions, the child then moved his hand from his cheek, and to her surprise, there was a handprint across his cheek. The mother described the injury as “a giant hand-print plain as daylight across his face.”
How This Mother Reacted to Prevent Other Children From Being Physically Abused at the Houston Daycare
The mother immediately went into the daycare facility and confronted the daycare’s director and her child’s teacher. The child’s teacher openly admitted she had hit her son's face. The teacher was then arrested and charged with a felony. These things happen quite often, and some children are afraid to speak up and continue to be mistreated by the hands that are supposed to protect them. It is extremely painful even to have to visualize these things happening and also to know that the truth of the matter is that it is happening all across the world on a daily basis.
“I want to make sure she’s never allowed to be around children again. Who’s to say she hasn’t done this before, and if it hadn’t been reported, she would still be hurting kids," said the mother, and she is correct. This is why it’s important to report any injury your child has suffered at the hands of these daycare programs, no matter how big or small you think it to be. If a caregiver is willing to put his or her hands on a child, there is no telling what other things he or she would do to other children. They know that is unacceptable and completely against the law, but they do it anyway. This type of behavior is reckless and shows signs that the daycare as a unit is not a safe place for children to be. The hiring process is not up to standards, and you can bet that a number of violations are being committed at the facility.
If you want to learn more about the first step after a daycare injury, follow this link to learn how to make an incident report in your state.
Daycares often get swamped with kids, so they get desperate and hire anyone who comes through the doors asking for a job. We have a guide on how to select a daycare and what qualifications we believe a caregiver should have. Knowing the things to look for when choosing the right daycare facility can greatly reduce the chances of your child experiencing neglect or preventable injuries.
What Can The Button Law Firm Do to Help?
Our team of experienced and compassionate Houston daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your child was physically abused by a caregiver or another child while in the care of a Houston childcare facility. With attorneys in Houston, we are ready to listen and fight for your family in Atascocita, Bellaire, Clear Lake, Conroe, Cypress, Deer Park, Friendswood, Humble, Jersey Village, Katy, Lake Jackson, League City, Missouri City, Pasadena, Pearland, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, and Tomball. Our attorneys at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 281-857-6116 or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.