Daycare Abuse Lawyer in Louisiana

For working parents, Louisiana’s daycare centers are an essential part of childcare. Parents place their ultimate trust in the workers and management at daycare centers and nurseries, so when that trust is breached, it can feel like the ultimate betrayal.

Tragically, daycare abuse happens far more often than you would think. Even though Louisiana has strict regulations designed to keep children in daycare safe, abuse still happens in these centers across the state.

If you think your child might be the victim of abuse, you could be angry, concerned, and unsure of where to turn. You need an experienced child injury lawyer to help guide your case through the courts and get your child the justice they deserve.

Daycare Abuse Can Take Many Forms

Though it may be a topic that’s hard to talk about, abuse can happen to anyone. Institutional abuse, such as daycare abuse, is more common when the victims are unable to self-advocate or even fully understand what’s happening. What’s more, abuse can take many different forms, though each of these work to dehumanize the victim:

• Emotional abuse can happen when a worker ignores a child or isolates them
• Neglect, such as not feeding a child at meal time, or leaving them alone
• Physical abuse, for example hitting, pushing, pinching, or otherwise hurting a child
• Psychological abuse can include intimidation, bullying, threatening, or other tactics
• Sexual abuse, including inappropriate touching and sexual discussion with minors

In many cases of abuse, the abuse affects more than one child and the offender is found to have a history of abusive behavior. By bringing an abusive nursery worker to justice, you can also help save future victims from their abuse as well.

Types of Abuse as Defined by Louisiana Law

The Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) states that the following three elements must be present in a report for them to investigate:

• The case must involve a child under 18 years old who’s not emancipated
• The abuse or neglect must have been committed by a parent or caretaker, or someone in a relationship with or living with that parent or caretaker—this includes daycare workers
• The child must have been abused or neglected as defined under the Louisiana Children’s Code Article 603.

Because child abuse can take many different forms, it’s important to establish your case based on how your child was abused. Call an experienced daycare abuse attorney if you think your child has experienced any of the following:

• Threatening acts toward their mental or physical health
• Inflicting, or allowing someone to inflict, physical or mental injury
• Improper touching or exposure, or involvement in pornography

Signs of Daycare Abuse to Watch For

It can be hard to detect signs of child abuse, especially in young children. They might not realize what they’re experiencing is abuse, or their abuser could be preventing them from speaking up.

It’s vitally important to have an open line of communication with your child so that you can detect if something is wrong at daycare. You should also teach them what to expect in interactions with adults, and what’s right and wrong in those interactions.

Knowing the signs of child abuse is important, so that you can detect abuse early and report it to the relevant authorities. Signs that a child could be abused include

• Your child becomes quieter and withdrawn from activities they used to enjoy
• Your child begins having nightmares, or can’t sleep through the night
• Your child starts showing aggression or cruelty, either to animals, you, or other children
• Your child develops unexplained bumps or bruises
• Your child becomes suddenly clingy, and doesn’t want to go to daycare
• Your child shows a novel interest in sex or genitalia
• Your child begins sucking their fingers, banging their head, rocking back and forth, or displaying other signs of physical trauma

Daycare abuse is a crime in Louisiana. If you think your child is being abused, call the authorities and an experienced daycare abuse lawyer to report it. You should also call the Crimes Against Children hot line at 1-800-482-5964 to file a report.

Call a Compassionate Louisiana Child Injury Lawyer

If you suspect your child is being abused at daycare, you might be unsure of where to turn. While you should report the injury to the relevant authorities, their investigation could take months.

In the meantime, call Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys. Our Louisiana child injury attorneys are standing by to help you and your family get the compensation you need to begin moving on from your ordeal. Call us at 888.501.7888 for a free legal consultation today.