Phoenix Child Injury Lawyers Ask: Who Is Watching Your Child?

What Do You Know About Your Child's Day Care Provider or School?

Top-rated child injury attorneys Alexis and Mark Breyer of The Husband & Wife Law Team asked themselves this very question…and found interesting answers. What do you know about the people who care for your children? Do you know the laws in your state?

There are many highly reputable childcare centers and schools available, but parents must do their research. And even daycares that seem wonderful can shock their community with one bad incident.

As the proud parents of eight children, the Breyers believe strongly in a safe and positive learning environment for all students. As Phoenix child injury attorneys, The Husband & Wife Law Team has helped many families after their children were injured by someone else's negligence or other wrongful conduct. If you have questions or concerns about your own daycare or school provider, please call us to set up a free consultation.

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How Common Is Child Abuse?

Based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 44% of workers in the childcare industry had only a high school degree or less in 2008. The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) states that only 10 states require caregivers who work from their home to have a childcare license. (In Arizona, in-home daycare providers must be licensed and meet safety standards.)

Daycare and school abuse is more common than one would think. Fox News reports that about 900,000 children are abused or neglected in daycare centers each year and 70% of these children are under the age of 3. Each year, around 4.5 million children suffer sexual misconduct by school employees, from inappropriate comments to physical abuse. The most common type of child abuse is neglect, followed by physical abuse, sexual abuse, physiological abuse, and medical neglect.

Increasing Arizona Child Care Awareness

Arizona is 1 of 19 states without any laws regarding the use of restraints and seclusions in schools. Students have been abused in schools, suffering everything from carpets burns from being dragged to a seclusion room, to bruises from being pinned to the ground. Many victims are children with disabilities. The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) reports that between 8 to 10 children in the U.S. die each year due to restraint procedures in schools. Numerous other children suffer injuries such as bites, damaged joints, and broken bones.

We were sorry to learn about such a case, as reported in Cronkite News, about a mother who showed up unannounced to her child’s elementary classroom to find her son face down in an enclosed, 5-by-5-foot space called an "isolation" room. She was outraged that her child was locked in, and that she hadn’t been told about this method of dealing with student behavior.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Kids?

While there is no way to protect your kids from every single threat, there are some things you can do. These include:

• Be involved in your child’s school and classroom. Ask what they do to discipline kids. Remove your child if you are ever worried – trust your instincts!
• Talk to your children. Ask them what happens if they behave poorly in the classroom. Ask questions like, "What does your teacher say?" and "What does your teacher do?" If you are concerned about anything your child tells you, immediately talk to the teacher or the principal. Again, if in doubt, remove your child from the school.
• Talk to other parents about what they’ve noticed, especially if you don’t have time to be as involved as you’d like. This is a great way to compare notes and learn things you might not have otherwise known.

If your child is a victim of child abuse, you are not alone. Contact us immediately. We represent children and their families during this difficult time, and can assist in seeking a settlement from the at-fault party. Call the Arizona child injury lawyers at The Husband & Wife Law Team, for a free, no-obligation consultation at (602) 457-6222.

Additional Information

• Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
• National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA)