We’ve seen a troubling rise in cases of children being lost amid the hustle and bustle of Texas daycare centers. Alarming, real-life cases include a toddler leaving the daycare unnoticed in Allen and even a 3-year-old girl wandering onto a busy highway in Nacogdoches.
These incidents highlight a larger problem: Some daycare centers are failing to follow essential safety procedures such as face-to-name checks.
What Are Face-to-Name Checks?
Face-to-name checking is a simple but vital procedure designed to ensure the safety of children in daycare. It involves a daycare worker calling out each child’s name and matching it to the child’s face, visually confirming the child is present. This practice should be done regularly throughout the day, particularly during critical transitions such as:
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Changing Classrooms: When children move from one classroom to another, face-to-name checks ensure the new teacher knows which children are now in their care.
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Group Movements: Whether moving children from the classroom to the playground or back again, face-to-name checks help ensure no child is left behind.
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Field Trips: These checks are essential during field trips to ensure all children are safe and accounted for throughout the outing.
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Transportation: When children are transported by van or bus, face-to-name checks should be conducted as they enter and exit the vehicle to prevent any child from being left behind.
What Are the Consequences of Neglecting These Checks?
Children younger than five are particularly vulnerable when daycare centers do not perform face-to-name checks. Potential dangers include:
- Being Left in Vehicles: A child locked inside a daycare bus or van can quickly overheat, leading to heatstroke or even death.
- Exposure to Harsh Elements: A child left outside on a hot or cold day could suffer from hypothermia, heatstroke, or an asthma attack.
- Wandering Away: An unsupervised child could wander away from the daycare, potentially leading to unspeakable consequences.
How Can Daycare Centers Improve Their Procedures?
These dangerous situations often arise because daycare centers cut corners, fail to train staff properly, or do not maintain the facility. When daycare centers neglect these basic safety protocols, the consequences can be life-threatening.
If your child has been seriously injured due to a daycare center’s failure to conduct face-to-name checks, it’s crucial to hold the facility accountable. When you take action, you can help ensure no other child has to experience the same risks. Contact our team at The Button Law Firm to get more answers to your questions and to hold negligent daycares accountable.
The Button Law Firm Can Help Your Family after a Daycare Injury
If your child was seriously harmed because caregivers did not comply with Texas daycare safety laws, contact our experienced daycare and child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. With attorneys in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.
