Daycare Retaliation: What to Do If Your Child Is the Target

Daycare Retaliation: What to Do If Your Child Is the Target

Anytime you suspect your child has been injured at a daycare center, our team of daycare and child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm always recommends filing a report with Texas’ Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). While reporting to the state can be anonymous, we have noticed a shocking trend: Some daycare centers are retaliating against the children in the classroom after their parents report the daycare center to the state. In this article, we explain what daycare retaliation is, how it could happen to your little one, and what to do if you suspect a daycare center is retaliating against your family.

We encourage all parents to report daycare injuries and questionable incidents to the state because each report prompts an independent investigation. This investigation often reveals more details than the incident report provided by your daycare center. These state reports can help uncover what happened at the center that led to your child’s injury, and identify the specific Texas daycare law violations. They can also help families decide whether to take legal action against a center. Additionally, since these reports are part of the public record, they can assist other families in finding a safe daycare center for their little ones.

A DFPS investigation should not cause your child to suffer any consequences. A good daycare center recognizes the importance of taking any incident seriously and following Texas daycare laws when it comes to reporting an incident. (Daycare centers are required to self-report, but that doesn’t always happen.) As we’ve stated, all reports made to the state are anonymous; the state will not share any identifying information about the person who reported the incident. However, we have seen instances where the daycare center suspects what prompted the state investigation and retaliates against a child for letting their parents know something happened. Retaliation appears as any type of action that’s abnormal or unique to your child and due to the fact that caregivers know they are “in trouble.”

How Can I Tell If My Child’s Daycare Center Is Retaliating Against My Child?

When daycare directors or caregivers retaliate against a child after a suspected daycare injury report has been filed with the state, it’s often because they know they’ve done something wrong and they’re trying to hide it.

Our experienced daycare injury lawyers have seen the following ways daycare centers retaliate against a child:

Excluding a Child From Activities: When children go to their daycare center, there is an expectation that they’ll be included in the fun and that caregivers will support and encourage them like all the other kids. If your child is being excluded from certain activities, like outside time or special projects, this could be a sign their caregiver is excluding them on purpose, especially if the exclusion occurs after an incident was reported.
Excessive Disciplinary Actions: Part of growing up is learning that when you make a bad choice, there may be consequences. However, children at daycare centers should never be receiving excessive disciplinary actions. If your child is reporting getting in trouble for everything they do, they are most likely being singled out.
Ignoring Your Child: If your child’s caregiver is avoiding your little one or showing preferential treatment to other children, the caregiver may be doing it to send a message. But the fact is that they are not providing your child with the adequate amount of care that is required to keep them safe. Our team has identified a lack of supervision as one of the main causes of daycare incidents, so any avoidance of your child is putting them at more risk of further injury.

We have found suspected daycare retaliation is harder to identify in facilities that don’t have surveillance cameras and recorded footage. That’s why speaking to your child about their experience in their classroom is the best way to find out what is going on. Some questions you can ask your child:

Is your teacher being kind to you?
Does your teacher let you play?
Do you have fun at your school?
What fun things do you do at school?

What Should I Do If a Daycare Center Continues to Retaliate Against My Child?

Your child being harmed at a daycare center is a nightmare scenario; learning your child is being retaliated against because of the report you made to the state makes a difficult situation worse. The potential consequences of taking action are not your fault and further violates the minimum standards that daycare centers are obligated to follow. We highly recommend reaching out to a daycare injury lawyer like our team here at The Button Law Firm if this happens. Our compassionate team is ready to listen to your concerns and help you and your family navigate potential options. Call us at 214-699-4409 or email us at [email protected] to speak to our team for a free case evaluation.

When your family reports a daycare incident to the state of Texas, it’s done out of concern for the treatment your little one received at the place you chose specifically to keep them safe. We understand how the stress of suspected neglect or abuse that led to a daycare incident can take a toll on your family. Our team is prepared to listen to your story and potentially help you take legal action for the initial injury as well as the subsequent retaliation that occurred. If we believe your family has a case, we will advocate for you every step of the way, from building a case to fighting for an appropriate settlement .

Regardless of whether you think you want to take legal action or not, contacting our team can help you understand the process better and know your options. We provide free case evaluations to all families so that they can make an informed decision about the incident that happened to their little one.

Was Your Child Physically or Emotionally Injured at a Daycare Center in Texas? Contact The Button Law Firm.

If your child was retaliated against at a local daycare center, contact our experienced daycare and child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. With lawyers 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.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Texas Daycare Abuse Attorney Today

If you or someone you know has a child who was harmed by their daycare teacher, contact our firm. We know how difficult getting through this can be. Our experienced team wants to help guide you – as we have helped guide many parents and families within Midland, Houston, Dallas, and the surrounding areas.

You can give us a call at (214) 699-4409 or email us at [email protected]. You can also reach out to us by filling out the form below or by starting a chat with a member of our team.

Is Your Child’s Daycare Retaliating Against You? Here’s What to Do.