Signs of Child Care Mistreatment
The first day of child care can either be a dream or a nightmare for both caregiver and child. Sending our little ones off to child care can feel like we’re severing a precious bond. On the other hand, both parent and child may experience that first day in care as the beginning of an exciting new adventure. Either way, for so many parents/caregivers and young children, the transition to child care has become a rite of passage of sorts. As parents, we want our children to have all the tools they need to thrive and succeed in the world, and that means giving our children an early start and the best shot at learning. A child’s learning and a caregiver’s trust can be derailed if we don’t know the signs of quality care…
My oldest son was about 2 years old when we made the decision for him to attend child care. The care providers we selected were well respected and beloved by elders at our church. They were also licensed in-home care providers with a reputation for being firm, yet nurturing care providers. They didn’t have children of their own, and so they poured all their love and wisdom into the children under their care. After visiting their in-home child care and meeting with Grandma and Poppa, we decided that their child care setting was the right place for our son to learn, play and thrive. Fortunately, I had done my research on what to look for in a child care setting; I knew the signs of quality care.
When parents know what quality care looks like, we are more inclined to trust our instincts when things don’t quite add up or unexplained incidents continue to happen with our child. Knowledge is power! Knowing the signs of abuse, mistreatment, and neglect could save your child (and other children in care) from a traumatic experience. The best weapon caregivers have against suspected abuse, neglect, and mistreatment is your voice; if you suspect something is not right, say something!
Recently, one of our parent readers shared her story of suspected abuse, mistreatment, and neglect at her child’s day care setting. She reported her concerns to the appropriate staff but didn’t get the corrective action response she expected. Unfortunately, the pattern of unexplained “accidents” persisted, and the parent eventually removed her child from the child care setting. EVERY child deserves to be treated with kindness, dignity, and respect. And caregivers should expect care providers to not mistreat, abuse, or neglect the children under their care.
Our parent reader and her child are doing much better now! Here’s an update from our parent reader and some resources and tips on what to do if you suspect that your child is being abused, mistreated, or neglected in their child care setting.
“Now I’m in a new position, which I love, and my son is in a center that I love even more! It’s infuriating that he was treated the way he was, and I had to move jobs to make this happen for my child and family. This is what happens to children with the current state of the ECEC field and no one cares. If I did not have my background and education and was just a ‘normal’ parent, who knows what would have happened to my child?”
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