By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
At day care centers, it is important that child care providers follow policies, procedures, and safety recommendations as to the activities that take place at the day care center. One such responsibility or duty is the monitoring of children during nap or sleep time. While nap or sleep time may not seem like a dangerous activity to some, the truth of the matter is it the children in day care centers that are not properly monitored during nap or sleep time can suffer serious personal injuries if safety precautions are not followed or if there is a lack of supervision or monitoring of the children during nap or sleep time. Some children (especially infants) can even die as a result of lack of supervision and lack of proper positioning during sleep or nap time.
In Massachusetts and other States, parents rely on day care centers to provide a safe and clean educational environment for children. Most child care providers take their responsibilities to heart and do their best to provide for the needs and best interests of the children. Unfortunately and tragically in some instances, there are other “child care providers” that do not even deserve this simple designation since they use a position of trust and responsibility to prey on children in the very environment in which the children should be protected and nurtured rather than injured, abused, and molested. While it impossible and impractical to prevent or foresee every bad incident that happens in a day care center or other location, parents should take some effort to investigate or evaluate a day care center before enrolling their children in the day care center. Here are some questions and facts to get from the day care operator:
Children are the unfortunate victims of injuries in automobile accidents, slip and fall accidents, daycare center accidents, school injuries, and other incidents that cause personal injuries. When an accident or incident occurs, it can be helpful to take photographs at the scene of the accident.
Tragically, Sandy Hook Elementary School was recently the site of one of the deadliest and senseless school shootings in U.S. history. It has been reported that 20 children and 6 adults were murdered at the school. See 
Most playgrounds throughout virtually every community have monkey bars. While monkey bars are quite common, they are still dangerous especially for young children climbing on or transversing monkey bars in a playground. It takes a certain strength, dexterity, skill, and endurance to climb across monkey bars from one side of the playground to another. Because of this, children frequently fall from monkey bars to the ground of the playground area. Most falls are uneventful. The child merely brushes off the mulch, dirt, or other ground cover and then continues playing with friends on the playground. Unfortunately for some children, a fall from monkey bars can result in serious personal injuries including fractures, sprains, lacerations, and head injuries.
In the State of Virginia, day care centers are licensed and regulated pursuant to Title 22 – Chapter 185 of the Virginia Administrative Code. Laws pertaining to corporal punishment in day care centers are regulated State by State. In other words, to determine the laws, regulations, and when applicable prohibitions as to corporal punishment, a parent should review the State regulations in place. Pursuant to Title 22 – Chapter 185 of the Virginia Administrative Code, the following actions are prohibited:
Evidence can be presented in different forms and a civil or criminal case involving the molestation or an abuse of a child. A controlled recorded telephone call or a wiretap can serve as evidence in these cases. A controlled recorded telephone call or a wiretap is set up and coached to some extent by the police or investigators.