Articles Posted in Wisconsin

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In day care centers in Wisconsin and throughout the rest of the nation, there is a population of children at risk for harm when placed in a day care center – infants. Working parents rely upon day care centers to provide a safe haven for their children. These parents do not have much of a choice due to work, financial, and personal constraints of life. A dedicated and professionally trained nanny would be nice but most people cannot afford such a luxury. While most infants placed in day care centers do just fine, others suffer personal injuries and even death in the very environment where the children are supposed to be safe and well cared for.

A recent tragedy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin exemplifies the sad reality of these incidents. News reports indicate that a ten-year-old girl attending the same day care as a six-month-old baby boy allegedly abused a child after dropping him while holding him. It was reported that the young girl admitted to stomping on the baby’s head because the baby began to cry after she accidentally dropped the baby. Consequently, the infant sustained serious head trauma and died in the hospital two days later.

At the time of the infant’s tragic death, one adult and two other children were present at the daycare. This raises questions about supervision requirements in childcare facilities and the other safety requirements necessary in such places. The Early Childhood Knowledge and Learning Center recommends active supervision of all children in childcare locations, especially infants. It asserts that an adult should be accessible and supervising all children at all times. In order to achieve this, the Early Childhood Knowledge and Learning Center suggests that childcare facilities plan out staff positioning in rooms, continually scan and count the children in the room, listen for signs of danger, anticipate children’s behavior, and set up an environment conducive to all children remaining in the constant sight of an adult. Childcare centers should also separate children of differing age groups.  See Day Center Supervision Recommendations.

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By  Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Nap Time - Moon and StarParents rely on day care centers during the working day to care of the child in an environment that is safe and clean.  One overlooked area of child care in a day care center can be the sleeping or napping arrangements.  Children especially infants are at risk for injury during sleep and nap time.   An infant should not be placed in an adult bed or even a toddler bed for that matter.   Pillows and soft objects should be removed from the crib area or sleeping area for the infant.  Swaddling is also something that many pediatricians and experts advise against.
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By  Jonathan Safran Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Building Blocks Glossy -R - Day Care CenterIn Wisconsin and other states, parents rely on day care centers for the supervision of their children during the work day.  In most instances, a child is cared for in a supportive and educational environment.   However, there are also plenty of day care workers who lack the patience, personality, and temperament to properly care for small children. For instance, let’s say that a child is not responding to instructions or commands.  Some day care providers will then pull, shove, or push a child to get them going.   The rough handling or assault of a child can and does lead to serious personal injuries including bruising, fractures, lacerations, and even internal injuries.  Children, especially infants and toddlers, are susceptible to injury any time that they are pulled, pushed, shoved or grabbed.  When an adult pulls on a child’s arm, there can be a dislocation, fracture or other injury.  It is certainly not an easy task to supervise and monitor children; however, this does not excuse a day care center worker from rough handling a child under the supervision of the worker and the day care center.
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By Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

Education%20Day%20Care%20Building%20Block%20F.jpgIn Wisconsin and other States, day care centers should be safe havens for children. They should be placed where children are well cared for in supportive, nurturing environment. Unfortunately, some day care center employees and volunteers abuse the children under the care of a day care center. These reckless employees and volunteers use their positions of trust to prey on children. Some are caught while many others go undetected only to go on to abuse more children along the way.

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By Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

education%20school%20day%20care%20school%20bus%20with%20big%20black%20front%20mirrors.jpgIn Wisconsin, day care centers, that provide for transportation on a van or a bus for six or more passengers, are required to have a safety alarm installed. The law was put in place in response to the tragic death of Jalen Knox-Perkins who was mistakenly left in a day care van by a Milwaukee Wisconsin day care center. Jalen was only 4 months old at the time of the incident. The death of this child was a loss for the family, day care center, and community. The death of Jalen Knox-Perkins helped, in part, convince lawmakers in the State of Wisconsin to pass a law requiring safety alarms be placed in day care center vans and buses.

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By Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

education%20day%20care%20building%20blocks%20assorted.jpgIn Wisconsin and other States, children enrolled in schools, day care centers, and child care centers are at risk for injury from negligent acts and disciplinary measures that lead to Shaken Baby Syndrome. When a day care provider, child care provider, babysitter, or other supervising adult or teen gets frustrated with life or the behavior of a child, the anger, frustration, or ignorance, at times, leads to the shaking of the baby. This, in turn, can cause serious personal injuries and even death to the child. Shaken Baby Syndrome is classified a neurological injury to the brain of the child. The mechanism of the injury results from the child’s head being whiplashed back and forth or by the blunt force trauma of a wall, floor, or other object. In only a few seconds of neglect, a child’s life can be forever affected. It is well known and documented that disabilities in the form of function and cognition result from Shaken Baby Syndrome.

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By Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

aircraft%20red%20helicopter.jpgIn Sheboygan, Wisconsin, a two year old boy suffered serious personal injuries when he was bit by a Pit Bull breed dog owned by a relative. It was reported that the Pit Bull breed dog grabbed the child and shook the child vigorously. The personal injuries suffered by the Wisconsin child included a laceration to the head, an injury to the eye, and an injury to the jaw. The boy had been playing with the dog and then patted the dog on the dog’s head. At that moment, the dog then grabbed the child by his head and would not release the child. The boy was later rushed to Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center. The injuries were so severe that the child was airlifted to Childen’s Hospital near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You can read more about this story at Boy Attacked by Pit Bull Dog Suffers Serious Personal Injuries Incliuding Facial Injuries.

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By Jonathan Safran, Attorney & David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

fingerprint.bmpAccording to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Wisconsin day care centers will now be allowed to fingerprint potential employees. The executive director of Wausau Child Care, Inc., Jen Kowalski said that this additional safety measure is worth taking. However, there is one caveat.

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By Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

images.jpgSexual harassment in schools is unwanted and unwelcome sexual behavior that interferes with a student’s right to receive an education. The problem is more prevalent than you might think because most students who become victims are too embarrassed or scared to report sexual harassment. Sexually harassing behaviors range from words (written or spoken) and gestures to unwanted physical contact that can cause a substantial interference with a student’s schoolwork or ability to participate in extracurricular activities. Some instances of sexual harassment may also be criminal acts such as assault, rape, and child abuse.

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By Jonathan Safran, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

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After the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel exposed widespread fraud in Minnesota child care facilities, the legislature took action. Many day care providers in the Milwaukee area were found to be collecting money from the State of Minnesota for “children” that they actually did not provide care or services for in the facility. Now, many children attending Wisconsin day care centers will have to be fingerprinted when they arrive to the center. In February 2011, ten scanners are expected to be installed and in July the program will be expanded statewide. Ultimately, 620 providers are expected to have scanners. The program does have skeptics. Cindy Fennessey, owner of local day care facility, says that even with the scanners, fraud would still be possible. Fennessey also says the scanners may be discriminatory because the scanners are only required for those children who receive government subsidies for their care. Read more on this story at Finger scanners to be installed at Minnesota day care centers.

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