It’s no secret that the growing demand for childcare help in The Woodlands is strained due to hiring issues. A Community Impact article detailed that since the 2020 pandemic, there has been a demand eight times higher than the supply of childcare facilities for families living in the 77385 zip code. The local scarcity is largely due to centers' inability to hire and retain qualified caregivers.
Because of this, some daycare centers in The Woodlands may quickly hire untrained caregivers or exceed child-to-caregiver ratios dictated by daycare safety laws, also known as minimum standards. When this happens, these unqualified caregivers can easily become overwhelmed or frustrated with little ones and use unapproved or inappropriate discipline tactics.
Our experienced daycare and childcare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm are shedding light on this important topic, including educating local parents about how children can be seriously hurt when daycare centers in The Woodlands do not comply with the minimum standards regarding discipline methods.
How Do Children Get Hurt When Daycare Centers in The Woodlands Use Inappropriate Discipline Tactics?
Little ones can be seriously hurt when daycare centers in The Woodlands use inappropriate and unapproved discipline tactics. Our daycare and childcare injury lawyers have observed the following injuries from these incidents:
- Brain injuries: When children are forcefully pushed, they can fall, hit their heads on the floor or a hard surface, and suffer a concussion or cracked skull;
- Broken bones and bruises: Children can sustain these injuries when untrained daycare workers in The Woodlands use corporal punishment tactics such as hitting, pushing, slapping, or spanking;
- Nursemaid elbow: Also known as a pulled elbow, children younger than seven years old can experience these injuries when daycare workers in The Woodlands grab or yank a small child by a single arm;
- Starvation and dehydration when caregivers in The Woodlands withhold food and water from a child.
And, from a psychological standpoint, cruel name calling, public shaming, or forced isolation by a daycare worker in The Woodlands who is supposed to keep a child safe can be traumatizing for little ones. The unapproved discipline tactic can severely affect a child's self-esteem, turning an outgoing, confident personality into a timid, withdrawn shell.
Watch this video to learn more about the signs your child’s daycare center in The Woodlands may be using unapproved discipline tactics.
What Are Approved Discipline Tactics that Daycare Centers in The Woodlands Should Use?
The minimum standards recommend using positive guidance, such as redirecting strategies to give little ones a better understanding of rules and help them develop self-control. Thus, caregivers in The Woodlands should use the following approved discipline tactics when a child misbehaves:
- Individualized and consistent methods
- Age-appropriate methods that a child can understand
- Teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control
- Using praise and encouragement for good behavior
- Reminding a child of behavior expectations using clear, positive statements
- Redirecting behavior by using positive statements
- When needed, using brief supervised separation or time out from the group for no longer than one minute per year of the child’s age
Can I File a Lawsuit After My Child Was Hurt by a Daycare Center in The Woodlands Using Inappropriate Discipline Tactics?
Parents in The Woodlands have a right to file a lawsuit to hold a negligent daycare center and, if necessary, its caregivers accountable for breaking Texas daycare laws and improperly disciplining a child. The lawsuit also provides an opportunity to seek compensation, also known as damages, for any monetary, physical, emotional, or psychological impacts that resulted from the unapproved punishment method. It is important to note that a lawsuit against a daycare center in The Woodlands must be filed within two years of the incident's date.
In a daycare discipline lawsuit, parents in The Woodlands may be eligible for compensation to cover:
- Emotional damages such as pain and suffering
- Medical expenses to treat a child’s physical injuries and any required long-term care or treatments
- Mental anguish
- Psychological resources to help a child heal and process emotions from trauma caused by an improper daycare discipline tactic in a healthy way
If you suspect that a daycare center in The Woodlands is using unapproved disciplinary tactics or if you have questions about these troubling issues in a local daycare center, contact our experienced daycare and childcare injury lawyers by calling 281-857-6116 or emailing us at [email protected]. We will listen to you and advise you and your family on the best path forward.
Who Can Support My Family After an Injury Caused by Daycare Discipline in The Woodlands?
Our team of experienced and compassionate daycare and childcare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your child was physically or emotionally injured by a facility in The Woodlands that used inappropriate or harsh discipline methods. Helping clients in Montgomery County, we are ready to listen and fight for your family. 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 281-857-6116, email us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.
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