Daycare Secluding Toddler....can it be illegal?

Christina - posted on 11/08/2011

Glad he has a new place that he likes!

Christina - posted on 11/08/2011

Wow is right!! I would be irate!! Ariana is the same age and just the thought of someone let her scream for any length of time i would never let her go back. That kind of treatment can cause a very secure child to become extremely insecure. At this age they still do not understand a lot of things and security is very important. I dont understand people who want to be drill seargants with one year olds. Anyway, my opinion is yes, this is emotional abuse and neglect and someone should be notified.

Bobbie - posted on 08/31/2011

That is so great and yes I would still turn them in it may not have only been your child they were doing that to, it could be others, call and don't give a name just tell them you are a concerned parent. Glad he liks the new place. You did good.

Tiffanie - posted on 08/29/2011

He went to a new daycare today and was MUCH BETTER! He napped on a mat with the other toddlers for an hour, had no tantrums and only cried a few times but could be distracted with books and play. He ate all of his lunch and he didn't want to leave when I picked him up because he was playing with his friends. This was on his FIRST day there! Big big big difference! and SO proud of him :)

Laura - posted on 08/27/2011

First, i would start looking for another daycare simply because the behavior modification techniques are not ones that you use. That said, seclusion, in and of itself, can be an effective behavior modification tool (there are guidelines for its use), it does not sound like it is really being used properly. That does not mean that this technique was "negligent" or "abusive" since the child was safely contained in a playpen with the door open to the room. As for crying at naptime for 2 hours, secluded in a room while contained in a playpen--that sounds like she was just using the CIO (cry it out) method for sleeping. Again, there are guidelines for using that method properly and from what you've described it's hard to say whether or not those methods were used. I've used seclusion, or isolation as another name for the technique, and the CIO methods myself occasionally. Both should be methods of LAST resort, not first choice, however! So IMO I don't think anything criminal occured, though perhaps poor usage of those techniques could be argued.

There's a couple of things to take into account as well: First, the daycare provider may very well be telling the truth about its effectiveness with your child! Kids often behave differently when in the care of others than they do with their own parents. They learn to adapt to the expectations presented to them by other people, such as teachers or coaches. In this case, your son may very well be learning what is expected of him from the daycare provider and is adjusting his behavior to those expectations and consequences (seclusion).

Secondly, your son may very well be going through some naturally occuring seperation anxiety that is simply coinciding with the daycare. That compounds the problem, to be sure! Same thing with the diaper--kids often go through stages where they don't like having it changed. So be mindful of reading too much into the behavior changes--he's a growing toddler, after all and some of those changes may be happening naturally. Hope this provides some insight and good luck!

Tiffanie - posted on 08/24/2011

I sent it to you in a private message with a link to her website

Susan - posted on 08/24/2011

Can I ask which daycare it was? And if you call DCF they will have to at least look into it

Tiffanie - posted on 08/24/2011

Yeah I was considering DCF but there's no proof of anything so I think it would be futile. I worry because IDK how long/day he was in there! The last few days he went, after the first nap crying spree occurred, I started feeling so sick everyday that he was there. Physically ill. I hate it and I feel like there's nothing I can really do.....at least he's going to a better daycare next week.

Susan - posted on 08/24/2011

all I can say is wow!! You should try to find a daycare that has a video system where you or your husband can monoter what goes on at the daycare! I know riverbend has it and a few other places! Plus I would be calling DCF!!