Beaumont Childcare Neglect Attorney

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Childcare Neglect Lawyer

It can be scary and infuriating to discover that your child has been neglected by someone whom you trusted with the duty of caring for them. Daycare workers are caught hitting, neglecting, and overall failing to protect the lives of the children in which they are responsible for. Workers must maintain a reasonable level of care and if they fail to do so they will be found liable for their actions.

Our Beaumont law firm will fight for you in protecting the rights of your children against neglectful childcare workers here in Texas. While we wish no parents have to go through this frustrating time, we encourage any parents seeing signs of this neglect to reach out and get the justice your family deserves.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect to Look Out For

It is best to identify the abuse or neglect as early as possible so that your child is not being put in further danger. Children do not have the voice to speak against or about being abused or neglected and it is common for the children that can speak to be too afraid or confused to explain or even know anything. If you begin to have any suspicion that you cannot trust your childcare worker stay alert for the following:

If the daycare center has a habit of sending home your child with a dirty diaper this may be a sign of neglect.
If your child has any unexplainable bumps or bruises on their body this may be a sign of abuse from the childcare worker.
If your child always seems to be hungry or thirsty upon returning home this may be a sign of neglect.
If your child has recurring nightmares this may be a sign of childcare abuse and/or neglect.
If your child begins to act withdrawn from everyone else and unlike their usual self this may be a sign of childcare abuse and/or neglect.

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Robert L. Woods Attorney at Law
Woods Law Firm P.C.
Beaumont, TX
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How children are harmed in day care centers

There are many different ways children are harmed in day care centers where they are supposed to feel protected and safe. Daycare centers should have the children’s safety as the first priority It is common knowledge that the cost of childcare is not cheap, and yet it is generally the act of cost-cutting that leads to neglecting these children.

It is common for daycare centers to have issues with inadequate staff, meaning there are more children than workers. Texas law limits the number of children a childcare worker can be responsible for at a time. Daycare centers may fill out what it needed on paper, but it will not stop them from taking on more children than is legally allowed without the knowledge of the state. As well as understaffing these day care centers, it is also possible for them to have unqualified workers watching your child at any time.

The minimum requirements for a childcare worker in Texas are obtaining a high school diploma, passing a background check and completing their pre-service training. If your child is injured while in the care of an underqualified childcare worker, the center will be held liable for knowingly endangering your child.

The facilities themselves may also be a reason for the neglect or abuse of children within daycare centers. Texas had a large list of requirements for these facilities regarding health and safety. The daycare will be held liable if a child is injured by anything unsafe within the facility, (falling shelf, broken playground, etc.) Lastly, its may also be possible that your child was injured by someone intending to cause harm, this would be a criminal act and both the worker and employer would be held responsible. If you believe your child is being abused or neglected in at their daycare call us for a consultation today.

Texas state law regulations for day care centers

Laws in Texas state that the following minimum standards are required to be implemented and followed by day care centers within the state of Texas:

Babies and children must be properly supervised at all times
Center must have age appropriate games and sports for children to play
Proper sanitation must be executed
Babies and children must be receiving balanced diets.
Special accommodations for infants and children with special needs.
Staff of the daycare center must be trained, qualified and able to pass a background check to care for children.

Texas law also requires any adult who had knowledge of a child being abused to report the abuse. Those who fail to do so are committing a crime.

Beaumont Childcare Neglect Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can I find a safe day care?

After having a bad experience with one day care we know how cautious you may be moving forward with childcare. You do not need to fear as there a plenty of safe day cares that will leave you with peace of mind when you drop your child off. Ensure you are choosing a day care facility that has had all of its workers complete a background check with none of them having a criminal record. Feel free to tell these facilities that you would like to meet any adult that is going to be around your child for periods of time. You are trusting these workers with your child; you have every right to request things such as this. Lastly, upon looking around make sure that you are seeing a good worker to child ratio and that all children are cared for. Your lawyer may be able to help you get connected with a day care center than checks all the boxes.

How is childcare abuse and neglect defined?

The abusing of a child is defined as mental or physical injury done to the child. Abuse can also be defined as the purposeful failure to prevent this injury from happening. Neglect can be defined as failing to provide food, shelter, water, or medical care to a child in need or leaving them somewhere where they can be harmed. This also means the facility must have the recourses available in order to care for the children that they are responsible for. Day care centers must have clean water, heat, sanitary living conditions, electricity, and medical care. If your child’s daycare center is failing to meet these requirements and no longer feel safe with you child attending this daycare, contact a childcare neglect lawyer as soon as possible. You may be saving more than just your child.

What will I be asked when reporting childcare neglect?

Questions will be asked in three sections. In the ‘people involved’ section you are asked to give detailed information everyone that you know of who was involved in the incidents you are reporting. This will include:

Person who suspect is being abused or neglected
Person who you suspect is responsible for the abuse or neglect
Others who live in the home, and anyone who can provide more information regarding this case

The next section you will be filling out what exactly happened and listing your specific concerns and the essentially the overall reason you are filing this report. Ensure you are including all details and describing exactly why you are uncomfortable with sending your child to this daycare. The final section will be asking you about any safety concerns that you may have regarding this day care facility. These would include concerns about gangs, weapons, drug or alcohol abuse, and overall unsafe living conditions. Be open and honest in your report.

What are some examples of childcare neglect in the state of Texas?

Neglect is a very dangerous problem in the state of Texas. It is important to stay alert for signs of neglect that your child may be showing after being at their daycare center. It is common for victims of childcare neglect to be unusually hungry or thirsty when they return home from care. This is a clear sign that the day care facility was not providing them with the proper amount of food and water. Another sign that neglect may be happening is the childcare center discouraging you from dropping in or checking on your child. You as a parent have the right to see and speak with your child when you feel the need to, this is a sign they may be treating your child in a way they don’t want you to see. A small number of workers caring for an uneven number of children is another sign this center is not only practicing neglect and abuse but breaking Texas state laws. Ask a childcare neglect lawyer if you have any questions regarding the laws of childcare neglect in the state of Texas.

What are signs of possible emotional abuse of my child?

Emotional abuse is not as simple as noticing a bruise on your child. It can be hard to tell if your child is being emotional abused at the day care facility because most of time, children are too young to understand how someone is treating them. This is why it must be up to us to be aware and cautious of how our child is behaving is it may indicate emotional abuse within their day care center. Some signs of emotional abuse to keep an eye out for include, your child beginning to have unexplained behavioral issues, habit disorders such as head banging or rocking back and forth, wetting or soiling the bed and behavioral extremes.

Reporting childcare abuse or neglect

Once you suspect any form of neglect or abuse, start investigating everything immediately and keep notes and photos of everything you find along the way. If you are unsure of what to put together for this case, a childcare neglect lawyer can guide you in the process of investigating the childcare center or worker and answer any questions you may have. We know that this is a very stressful and confusing time for your family, our law firm will ensure your case is in good hands.

It is also advised to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician quickly so they may also access your child to make sure that you did not miss any evidence of abuse or neglect. There are many ways to report this abuse but contacting a childcare neglect lawyer will lead you in the right direction. They will then be able to inform you of any additional steps you need to take for your case.

Common types of Daycare accidents and injuries

Common types of daycare accidents and injuries include accidents involving toys or any equipment inside the day care center. Childcare workers may unknowingly supply children with toys that have recalls, small parts falling off, or poorly maintained outdoor equipment. Accidents involving other children can be the reason for your child’s injuries. If childcare workers are not properly supervising kids it is possible for children to play to rough or even get into fights that are taken to far. Children may also be at risk of illness if they eat any food supplied by the day care center that was spoiled or undercooked. Please be aware upon seeing any bruises or bumps on your child’s body that it is possible a childcare worker physically abused them even if they this child is not talking about it. Stay alert and contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Childcare neglect lawsuit

If your child is injured at a daycare center from the negligence or abuse, parents will have the option to file a personal injury lawsuit against the facility. A lawyer must prove that the day care center was responsible for the child and acted negligently in their care. There are limits to amount of time you have to file a claim. The claims of parents are typically subject to the two-year statute of limitations while claims for the child can be valid up until their 18th birthday. This is something to be discussed with a childcare neglect attorney so that you will have the appropriate time to file and gather all the necessary information need in time.

Robert L. Woods

Attorney at Law, Woods Law Firm P.C.

About Robert L. Woods

Attorney Robert L. Woods is a retired 21 year police executive. At the time of his retirement he held the rank of Lieutenant. Mr. Woods has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice and is a member of the Criminal Justice Honor Society. Mr. Woods is also a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy, where he specialized in police management, practices, and policies. Mr. Woods advises police departments on police management and police procedures. He is the legal advisor for the Fort Bend County Pct. 2 Constables Office and is a leader in Criminal and Personal Injury Law.

Law Firm Information
Firm:	Woods Law Firm P.C.
Address:	2016 Main St., Houston, TX 78701
Phone:	1.800.391.0227
Woods Law Firm P.C.

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