How to Prevent Child Abuse at Your Childcare Center

In the following guide, we provide must-know information about different forms of child abuse, warning signs of child abusers, signs of abuse in children, and actionable ways to prevent child abuse from occurring at your childcare center. As a childcare provider, you have the power and responsibility to protect children from abuse and to act in the children’s best interest to prevent harm and provide a safe environment. Read on to learn more.

Statistics About Child Abuse in Daycares

Every owner of an early learning center wants to believe that child abuse could never occur in his or her program, but the sad reality is, child abuse cases do occur by the thousands in Early Childhood Education programs all over the country.

Consider the following sobering statistics:

According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, thousands of cases of child abuse are reported at daycare centers in the U.S. every year.
In a 2017 report by the federal government, of perpetrators who were childcare providers, more than 20% committed sexual abuse.
90% of children who are sexually abused are abused by someone they know, either a family member or another caregiver, such as a teacher, childcare worker, or other trusted adult.
40% of children who are sexually abused are abused by older and more powerful children.
About half of all daycare abuse cases involve neglect.

In light of these grim facts, let’s define the various forms of child abuse.

Types of Child Abuse

U.S. federal law defines child abuse as: “Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, child abuse can take one of several forms:

Neglect

Neglect includes the failure to provide for a child’s basic needs, despite being able to do so. Neglect may be:

Physical, when an adult fails to provide necessary food, shelter, or appropriate supervision
Medical, when an adult fails to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment
Educational, when an adult fails to educate a child or attend to special education needs
Emotional, when an adult fails to provide attention to a child’s emotional needs, fails to provide psychological care, or permits the child to use alcohol or drugs

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is defined as the non-accidental use of physical force by a parent, caregiver, or other person responsible for a child. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to:

Punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting with an open hand or slapping, scalding or burning, poisoning, dropping, pushing or shoving, pinching, scratching, grabbing or yanking limbs or body, restraining or squeezing, applying force to throat, holding underwater, or any other action that causes physical harm

Physical abuse can include hitting with an object such as sticks, straps, belts, hangers, or electrical cords. Physical abuse can cause injuries that range from minor bruises to severe fractures, or even death.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse includes a pattern of behaviors that have a negative effect on the child’s psychological well-being, including constant criticism, threats, and rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse may occur when a child is:

Ignored: An adult may not look at or respond to a child.
Rejected: An adult actively refuses a child by denying their needs or ridiculing them.
Isolated: A child is prevented from having interactions with peers, family members, or other adults.
Exploited or corrupted: A child is taught or encouraged to engage in illegal or inappropriate behaviors like stealing
Verbally assaulted: An adult constantly belittles, shames, ridicules, or threatens a child
Terrorized: An adult threatens or bullies the child and creates a climate of fear; the child or a loved one may be placed in a dangerous situation or threatened with harm
Harmed or indicating that the caregiver will harm the child or a person the child cares about
A witness or victim of domestic violence. Witnessing domestic violence can be auditory, visual, or inferred. Children who witness this can suffer severe emotional and developmental difficulties.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse includes sexual activity toward or involving a child, and may include:

Fondling or groping a child’s genitals
Making a child touch an adult’s sexual organs
Penetration of any kind that does not have a valid medical purpose
Incest, rape, and sodomy
Exposing oneself to a child
Exposing children to pornographic material
Deliberately exposing a child to the act of sexual intercourse
Involving a child in prostitution
Involving a child in the production of any sexually explicit images
Coercion of a child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, sexual conduct

While these definitions of child abuse may be difficult to ponder, we absolutely must acknowledge that any of these crimes could happen at a childcare program, whether at home or in school, if owners, directors, teachers, and other adults placed in a role of authority over children don’t take the necessary steps to protect them.

Next, it’s critical to know the warning signs given by perpetrators of child abuse, so we can recognize them in our own spheres of influence.

Warning Signs Given by Child Abuse Perpetrators

According to Stop It Now, a nonprofit organization committed to preventing child sexual abuse, you will want to be on the alert for specific behaviors that child abusers exhibit toward children they intend to abuse or are abusing:

Regarding personal space,

Makes others, adults or children, uncomfortable by ignoring social, emotional, or physical boundaries or limits
Refuses to let a child set any of their own limits, or uses teasing or belittling language to keep a child from setting a limit
Insists on hugging, touching, kissing, tickling, wrestling with, or holding a child, even when the child does not want this physical contact or attention
Frequently walks in on children or teenagers in the bathroom

Regarding relationships with children,

Turns to a child for emotional or physical comfort by sharing personal or private information or activities, normally shared with adults
Has secret interactions with children or teenagers (examples include games, sharing drugs, alcohol, or sexual material), or spends excessive time emailing, text messaging, or calling children or youth
Insists on or manages to spend uninterrupted time alone with a child
Seems “too good to be true” (examples include frequently babysitting different children for free, taking children on special outings alone, buying children gifts or giving them money for no apparent reason)
Allows children or teens to consistently get away with inappropriate behaviors

Regarding sexual conversations and behaviors,

Frequently points out sexual images or tells dirty or suggestive jokes with children present
Exposes a child to adult sexual interactions or images without apparent concern
Is overly interested in the sexuality of a particular child or teen (examples include talking repeatedly about the child’s developing body or interfering with normal teen dating)

Knowing the warning signs of a perpetrator is a key step in preventing child abuse at your childcare program.

Equally important is knowing the signs of abuse in children, which we will cover next.

Signs of Abuse in Children

Here are ten common signs that a child is being abused or neglected at the hands of caregivers, whether that be parents, daycare teachers, aides, volunteers, bus drivers, janitors, or any other adult who has access to the child:

Unexplained bruises, scratches, or other injuries – Physical abuse is often the most noticeable form of abuse. Unexplained injuries on the wrists, arms, buttocks, neck, shoulders, or back of the legs may indicate physical abuse. In addition, a child who flinches at sudden movements or a raised hand, or cowers at being touched, indicates a strong likelihood of physical abuse.
Changes in behavior – A child who becomes withdrawn, shy, or depressed, or who shows signs of guilt or shame for small misdeeds may indicate caregiver abuse. On the other hand, a child who becomes uncharacteristically aggressive, kicking, biting, scratching, or other similar behaviors, may be suffering abuse.
Hungry and thirsty at pick-up – A child may be neglected by caregivers when his or her basic nutritional needs are not met.
Soiled diapers at pick-up and long-lasting diaper rashes – Regular soiled diapers at pick-up and persistent diaper rashes may mean a child is not being changed frequently enough, indicating caregiver neglect
Recurring nightmares – When caregivers are tormenting a child at school, the child may begin to have recurring nightmares and difficulty getting a good night’s rest
Regression – Regressive behavior, such as clinginess, bedwetting, thumb sucking, sudden fear of the dark, or excessive crying may indicate that a child is experiencing abuse.
Child acts out in social situations – Research indicates that a child’s behavior “is an outward manifestation of inner stability and security.” A child who is subject to abuse may not be able to control impulses in social settings by being disobedient, defiant, or argumentative. The child may fail to show guilt, regret, or remorse for poor behavior.
Sudden and unexplained fears – An abused child may become exceptionally clingy, fearful, or angry when being dropped off at daycare.
Unusual interest in sexual behaviors – Children who are being sexually abused may demonstrate sexual knowledge that is far beyond what is developmentally appropriate at their age. If this is the case, suspect a sexual abuser who is exposing the child to this information and abuse.
Shaken Baby Syndrome – Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a form of child abuse that can lead to permanent brain damage or death. The condition is preventable and is typically done by a frustrated or overwhelmed caregiver. Signs of SBS include glassy eyes, appearing rigid, appearing lethargic, loss of appetite, vomiting, crying frequently, unable to focus on an object, seizures

Now that we’ve identified different forms of child abuse, the warning signs of abusers, and signs of abuse in children, we will end by providing a summary of non-negotiable steps you must take as a childcare business owner to prevent child abuse at your Early Childhood Education program.

Steps to Prevent Child Abuse at Your Childcare Center

The following steps are absolutely crucial to preventing child abuse at your childcare center.

Conduct comprehensive background checks for all adults who will have access to children at your childcare center. In addition to running complete criminal background checks for your primary staff members, including directors, teachers, and aides, you should also require criminal background checks for all other personnel, including cafeteria workers, janitors, bus drivers, and volunteers before these adults work with children. Search for all employees and volunteers on the National Sex Offenders Public Registry to check for any type of sex offender record. Also, check at least two non-family references. Read more about criminal background checks for your childcare center here. (Link to “What You Need to Know About Background Checks for Your Childcare Staff”)
Provide staff training on the prevention of child abuse. Be sure to provide adequate education and training for all employees so any member of staff can recognize and report misconduct immediately and appropriately. You can enlist the help of professional organizations for the prevention of child abuse to provide the necessary training programs and curriculum that would best serve the children in your early learning center.
Create and implement a child abuse prevention policy. You must have policies and procedures in place to prevent child abuse from occurring at your childcare center. Policies should include rules such as no one-on-one interaction between an adult and a child at your childcare program unless the interaction can be seen and heard by other adults in the program; two adults must be present for all diapering and toileting of children; children’s play, sleep, and care spaces should be open and viewable to all with no exclusive or hidden areas. These policy examples are a minimum and additional policies and procedures should be enacted regarding interactions between older children and younger children; parent access to children; and third-party access to children.
Take abuse allegations seriously and know your role as a mandatory reporter. Never minimize or dismiss allegations of any kind of misconduct among your staff members. All states have laws about professionals who are legally mandated to report suspicions of child abuse to the police or child protective services, and teachers and childcare providers are most certainly among the professionals mandated to advocate for victims of child abuse. Provide the education and training your staff needs to understand their roles too.

Ultimately, the children at your early learning center are counting on you to protect and advocate for them against criminals. You have a legal and moral duty to create a safe and wholesome environment where they can learn, grow, and develop. We urge you to make every effort to follow the guidelines offered here and implement a child protection program for all the children in your care.

Honest Buck Accounting works with childcare business owners to grow a more profitable business with a full menu of professional accounting services.