Parents send their young children to daycares nationwide, trusting them to protect, nurture, and teach their babies. Daycares are vital to working parents to provide financial stability in their families’ lives, while children learn valuable social skills and prepare them for higher education.
Unfortunately, not all daycares are staffed by safe adults, and an alarming number of children are victims of abuse in daycares every year. While this is an uncomfortable topic, it's one that all parents and daycare providers should be able to speak plainly about so that preventive measures can be discussed and abuse can be reported. If you have any inclination to suspect that your child is a victim of abuse, call an experienced child injury lawyer to get justice for their suffering.
The Recent Daycare Abuse Case in Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland has seen several daycare abuse cases that have sparked the conversation around preventative measures and even consequences. But the most recent case has left parents and providers shocked.
A former childcare center employee has been charged with 90 criminal violations, including 10 felony charges of child abuse. Deputies were horrified after an infant with a broken tibia was brought in for medical care. Our youngest babies are the most vulnerable, and when they are injured through the maliciousness or negligence of someone who was supposed to provide them care, hiring a child personal injury lawyer will give them a voice to seek justice.
The Importance of Safe Daycare
Parents leave their young babies in what they hope is trustworthy and caring hands while they return to work. It takes a village to raise well-rounded little ones, but safe villages truly bring parents peace of mind.
Safety extends into nearly all aspects of a daycare facility, including furniture, first aid, nutrition, and cleanliness. Safety shouldn’t be about the workers caring for the children, but unfortunately, they are. The tragedy of childcare abuse can leave children facing a lifetime of treatment, therapy, or even surgeries. They may have significant physical and emotional trauma that they will face for years.
Safe daycares provide:
- Peace of mind for parents
- Safe spaces for children to learn social-emotional skills
- Academic advancement for children
- A support network for parents
Warning Signs of Daycare Abuse
Daycare abuse can come in many forms, and sometimes the abuse isn’t always evident or your child doesn’t know that these horrific acts are wrong yet. Daycare abuse isn’t always physical violence and can also be about any mental or emotional trauma that they suffer throughout the day. Stay vigilant for early warning signs of daycare abuse, and you will be able to remove your child from a potentially traumatic daycare as soon as possible.
Common warning signs are:
- Physical Abuse: Early warning signs of physical abuse can be bruising, scratches, or injuries that are left unexplained.
- Sexual Abuse: The early warning signs can be physical, with pain, itching, or bruising near the genital areas. It can also be shown through bed wetting, difficulty moving around or sitting, or having a curiosity about sexual behaviors.
- Psychological Abuse: This warning sign shows when your child starts to behave irregularly, has trouble displaying affection, stops communicating or acts out for no reason outside of their age range.
Attorneys at Schlachman, Belsky, Weiner & Davey, P.A., advocate for injured children and work hard to protect victim’s rights and privacy in these sensitive cases.
What to Do if You Suspect Daycare Abuse
The unfortunate reality that we as parents need to discuss is that abuse and mistreatment can take place in any childcare setting and are probably more common than we think. While most daycares are perfectly safe and care for children to the best of their ability, it can happen anywhere at any time. If you suspect that your child may be a victim of abuse, you must act quickly and thoughtfully.
If you suspect daycare abuse, the next few steps are critical for your child.
- Seek medical care
- Contact the police
- Report the claims to the Department of Children’s Services
- Consult an attorney
- Speak to the daycare director
- Keep organized and detailed records
How a Baltimore Child Injury Lawyer Can Help
Parents have the legal right to file lawsuits against the responsible parties, and obtaining the appropriate and experienced legal representation is essential to ensure that all parties are held accountable for any injuries the child has suffered.
Contact our Baltimore child injury lawyers if you suspect that your child has suffered abuse at their daycare. Our goal is to give children a voice in court and seek a verdict or settlement to compensate them for their suffering. Give us a call at (410) 658-2022 or visit us online to protect your children.
