Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Parents devote the greater part of their days and nights to the support, education, and welfare of their children. Many parents rely on day care centers to help supervise their children while the parents are at work. It is common to see children raised in a single parent home or by two working parents. When selecting a day care center, convenience and price are just two of many factors that should be considered by a parent. Other factors to consider include: the licensing of the facility, the background and training of the staff members, the type of facility, condition of the facility, staff to child ratio, activities provided, and other factors.
Children require supervision due to a number of reasons. One involves the risk of choking. The level of risk depends on the age and physical development of the child. In the day care center, a child can choke on a food object or an everyday object like a coin, part of a toy, and other objects. Because of the real risk of choking, it is important for a day care center and its staff to maintain a safe environment that is free from hazards including those relating to choking.
In California and other States, parents rely on day care centers, schools, after school programs, camps, and gyms for child care. In most instances, the children are supervised in a caring environment. Depending on the State, size, and location of the child care facility or program, the child care center may or may not be required to have a day care license by the applicable licensing authority.
In Hawaii and other States, day care centers are licensed by the State and have a duty to comply with State and local regulations as they pertain to the operation and maintenance of the day care center. Many such regulations have a direct impact on the safety of the children being cared for in the day care center. When a child is injured at a day care center, the incident, in many cases, results from a failure to follow day care center regulations or otherwise provide adequate and appropriate child supervision. Many day care center operators do not even bother with the requirements to obtain a license. Some get a license but only follow the applicable day care center rules and regulations when there is an inspection and / or deficiency cited by the State governing agency. When a child is enrolled in a day care center, parents should be proactive in asking questions and obtaining information as to the licensing and inspections of the day care center. If the day care center fails to provide such information or is resistant to give such information, that could be a warning sign for parents with children enrolled in the day care center program. Parents can also request public documents and information directly from the State regulatory agency.
In California and other States, parents enroll their children in athletic and youth sports programs. Most volunteers and coaches truly have the best interest of the children in mind when coaching, teaching, and mentoring the children enrolled in the sports program. Children enrolled in youth sports programs often learn valuable life and social lessons in team work, problem solving, strategy, and sportsmanship. Unfortunately, some coaches (especially ones in competitive athletic programs) go “over the line” when attempting to build winning teams.
In Missouri and other States, parents rely on day care centers to provide a safe haven and learning environment for children enrolled in the program. During winter months, children are at risk for 
In most communities, there are dedicated and sincere individuals who devote a great deal of time to the education and betterment of children. Tutors, dance teachers, and music teachers certainly help enrich the lives of children lucky enough to get tutelage and instruction in the academics and / or the arts. Lessons and practices are frequently done after school and weekends. Many such sessions occur at the home of the child, home of the teacher or tutor, or another location. Often times, a child is left alone with the teacher or tutor. It should be noted that the majority of tutors and teachers are kind hearted individuals who truly care about the well being, safety, and advancement of the child’s education.
Parents work hard (day and night) to provide for and protect their children. It is the hope and prayer of every parent that a child is safe at home, school, church, and the neighborhood. Unfortunately and tragically, children are, at times, molested, attacked and harmed in their own neighborhoods. The perpetrator may be a new neighbor or one that has lived in the neighborhood for years. Some may have a criminal background and have committed crimes. However, many predators go undetected or uncaught for years upon years and even a lifetime.