Daycare Centers Should be Required to Use Video Surveillance
A simple Google News search of “daycare abuse in Florida” uncovers a stream of disturbing headlines describing individual instances of child abuse throughout the state. It’s enough to make any working parent second-guess her decision to place her children in daycare, even though she took the time to find a clean, reputable, and effective facility she trusts. These days, many daycare facilities do offer video surveillance to help the staff keep a close eye on the groups of children in their care; however, the law does not require childcare facilities to use this technology.
Having handled dozens of personal injury claims involving children hurt at daycare, our attorneys believe that any facility that is trusted to provide for the welfare of children should be equipped with video surveillance technology to protect the interests of parents, children, and daycare workers alike. In this day and age, we should take advantage of the technology we have available to ensure the well-being of society’s most vulnerable members. Parents with especially young children, in particular, would significantly benefit from surveillance.
Video Monitoring Provides Parents with Peace of Mind
The multitude of child abuse and neglect stories you hear stemming from places you would never imagine could carry out such atrocities cause many parents to question the quality of their own childcare facility. New parents or parents enrolling their children in daycare for the first time may feel especially vulnerable leaving their children with someone outside the family for the better part of a full day. Security cameras provide peace of mind as they objectively record events that transpire where the children spend the majority of their day.
A few more tech-savvy facilities use webcams in addition or as an alternative to standard security methods. Webcams stream a live feed of the daycare center that parents can log into to view their children remotely. Although there aren’t as many facilities that offer live streaming, parents who wish to vicariously engage in their children’s lives and get an “inside look” into the daycare’s routine may wish to invest a bit more to find a facility that offers this level of engagement.
Webcams at Daycare May Reduce the Potential for Neglect and Abuse
We all act just a bit differently when we know we are being watched. For many of us, we put on our best faces and strive to be on our best behavior. Childcare providers are no different. Having video security systems in place lets employees know that their actions are being recorded. It can dissuade employees from taking the easy route to diffuse situations that may arise. It can also protect employees who may be accused of hurting children in their care.
Parents should know that there is always the potential for a child to get hurt at any daycare facility. In most daycare centers, the number of children greatly outnumber the amount of staff tasked with watching them. Children can get hurt any number of ways:
- Childcare worker accidentally hurting the child
- Childcare worker purposefully hurting the child
- Other children bullying the child or playing rough
- Child hurting himself with toys or falling off of a play apparatus
- Child ingesting unsafe objects or food while childcare worker is not looking
By having a video camera installed in each room where children congregate, childcare staff may be more inclined to pay closer attention to the children, especially younger and more vulnerable children such as those with learning or developmental disabilities.It is also sensible to require these facilities to hold onto video recordings in the event that they will be needed as evidence when a particularly severe incident occurs.
Childcare workers and owners of childcare facilities are often quick to deny wrongdoing whenever a parent suspects that his or her child has been hurt in their care. When a case requires the investigation of Child Protective Services, it’s crucial to review the tapes to understand what happened and to develop solutions to avoid problems in the future. This evidence would also ease the process of acquiring reparations for the children harmed.
At The Umansky Law Firm, our daycare injury attorneys fight aggressively on behalf of parents whose children have suffered due to the neglect or wilful actions of their caregivers at child care facilities throughout central Florida. We have handled a wide range of accident cases and are determined to hold the responsible parties accountable for their wrongdoing. Call our office or contact us online to discuss your accident case for free.
