The Problem of Child Abuse and Neglect in Atlanta Daycare Centers

Many people have no idea that child abuse and neglect are such serious issues in Atlanta, Georgia daycare centers. In fact, it may never even occur to you to research the history of the daycare center before you send your child there, simply because you naturally associate the daycare with a safe place for kids to learn, play, and get the attention they require. That is the whole point of a daycare, after all, so it is not uncommon for parents to not consider the subject of child abuse or neglect when they send their kids to daycare.  However, the reality is that child abuse and neglect in Georgia daycare centers is a serious issue.  According to recent data, Georgia receives six million reports of daycare abuse and neglect each year. Therefore, parents must watch out for any signs that their child is being harmed, mistreated, or not receiving the attention that they deserve.

How Children Are Affected By Child Abuse and Neglect in Daycare Centers

When you talk about child abuse and neglect in Atlanta, Georgia daycare centers, you might picture outright abuse or a child not being fed or looked after properly. However, not all abuse or neglect takes the same shape and form. You might not see bruises, and your child might not seem excessively hungry. The signs you’re looking for might not be the signs that your child exhibits. It is essential to understand the most common indicators of abuse or neglect, and to also be aware that your child may present signs of abuse in several ways.

Some examples of the affects of child abuse and neglect in daycare centers include anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, learning challenges, trouble communicating and interacting with others, sleep disturbance, fear of going to daycare or of the parent leaving, separation anxiety, and of course, excessive hunger and thirst at the end of the day, bruises, and other physical injuries that indicate that the child is not being properly supervised or is being abused.

Specific Examples of Abuse and Neglect in Georgia Daycare Centers

In an effort to highlight the reality and presence of daycare abuse and neglect in Georgia for those who might be of the mind that it will never happen to their own child, we’re going to share some actual examples of children whose parents likely thought the same.

The first example that we’re going to share is from 2013, when a daycare provider from Augusta was convicted for an incident of abuse that had occurred in 2011. The woman was caught because video footage showed her violently handling a three year old child, hitting him with an object and forcing him into the toilet bowl with his clothes on, all while shouting at the poor child. The three year old child was unable to protect himself or make his parents aware of the trauma that he was experiencing at the hands of a daycare provider. You might think that you’d notice that something was wrong, but all too often, this is not the case.

Other examples of abuse and neglect that have occurred at daycares include a child being released to the wrong person (the person was blind), a kidnapping of two children by the childcare provider’s boyfriend, and a seven year old who managed to climb a fence to escape a daycare without being noticed. Beyond this, there were more than fifty other occasions in which children managed to escape from their daycare providers. Throughout the United States, there have been more than 5,500 abuse and neglect cases against daycare providers since 2006, and that only accounts for those that were caught.

Statistics on Daycare Center Child Abuse and Neglect

When it comes to gender, there is little difference in which children are likely to become victims of child abuse at a daycare. Boys and girls are both equally susceptible to being mistreated or ignored. In 2005, a little over 47% of victims were boys and close to 51% of victims were girls. However, age does make a difference, as newborns, babies, and children under three years old are the most at risk of becoming victims of abuse. This is likely primarily due to their vulnerability and inability to vocalize what is happening to them. There is also a difference between races, with close to 50% of child abuse victims being Caucasian, more than 23% being African-American, and over 17% being Hispanic.

What To Do When You Suspect Daycare Child Abuse or Neglect in Atlanta, Georgia

If you have any suspicions that your child is being abused in an Atlanta, Georgia daycare center, it is important to take action right away. If there are visible injuries, take photographs, and seek medical treatment. Remove your child from the daycare facility and contact Child Protective Services to make sure that the incident is properly investigated and other children are not victims of abuse and neglect from that facility as well.

From there, you can seek legal guidance from Council & Associates. We are happy to provide a free consultation for your case, evaluate all of the evidence, and seek the compensation and legal justice that you and your child deserve. No child should ever be abused or neglected by the very people that you trust to give them the very best of care. Childcare abuse and neglect can have a tremendous impact on a child’s developmental, emotional and social wellbeing.

Your child may need medical treatment, psychological treatment, and may even require special attention in school. You can recover compensation for all of your expenses associated with the child abuse or neglect, as well as punitive damages, to punish the offenders. You can also seek compensation for the lost wages that you sustain from taking time off of work when you can no longer allow your child to attend the abusive or neglectful daycare center. While no amount of compensation can ever make it right, you are entitled to compensation for all of the losses and damages of yourself and your child. Contact our determined Atlanta, GA daycare injury lawyers today to learn more about your options.