Concerned parent warns against dangers of daycare

We are writing this letter in order to create awareness among all parents who have their children in pre-schools.

Pre-schools are suppose to be ”safe havens” for our children during the day, when we are at work.

My fiancé and I enrolled our son into a pre-school and started on Monday, September 12.

That Tuesday, the principal said that my son had a rash on his bottom, and she had put bum cream on him. I immediately said “that’s funny, he doesn’t suffer from rashes, but I will have a look when I get home”.

On arriving home, I removed my son’s underpants, only to find that he had bruises on his bottom, which looked like he had been given quite a bad spanking.

I took my son back to the pre-school on Wednesday, and asked the teacher if the principal was there. The teacher said the principal would be there that afternoon.

I asked the teacher if she was aware of my son receiving a hiding, and she said no. I then asked her if she would please have a look at his bottom and tell me what she thought had caused the bruise. She said she would let me know that afternoon, when I picked up my son.

At around noon, I called the principal and asked her if she gave my son a hiding, and she said: “No, I would never do such a thing, I feel so offended that you would think that of me”.

She then said that my son had fallen off a swing at school. I asked: “Well then, why did you not tell me this yesterday, and tell me it’s a rash?” to which she then said: “I only remember now, that he fell off the swing”.

We subsequently removed him from the pre-school.

We took my son to the doctor on Friday, explaining to him what happened and the doctor informed us that we should have taken our son the Tuesday night, when the incident occurred, so that he could write a report on his findings. From Tuesday to Friday, the bruises had healed, so the doctor could not make any report at all.

However, I showed him the pictures of what my son’s bottom looked like, and the doctor confirmed verbally, that my son did receive a hiding, and that it was not a bruise from a child falling off a swing.

Friday afternoon, I received confirmation from a teacher at this particular crèche, that two other parents wanted to take their children out of the school, as the management sucks, and apparently the principal had two children stand in corners with chairs on their heads.

The pre-school also had a big staff meeting the following Monday, regarding hitting the children, and forms were given out to the parents, asking them what they felt would be the appropriate punishment for the children.

As far as we are concerned, corporal punishment is not allowed. It’s a crime, no matter what the circumstances.

Unfortunately, as first time parents we did not know the procedures, and could not open up a case for investigation.

The doctor explained to us that, as parents, should you suspect your child is being abused at school, you need to go to the police station to get a (J88 form), the police then open a case.

From the police station, you then need to go to the doctor with this form, so that the doctor can complete it and record his findings on it. It will then be taken to court.

Please, as parents, we urge you to make sure that the pre-schools to which we send our children are safe. Make sure that the pre-schools have incident report books, and that they would contact the parents immediately should their child be hurt.

All pre-schools should have cameras. Please, interview the principle and teachers, five times if you have to. A pre-school should be a loving, peaceful environment for our children to learn and play, not a concentration camp.

Concerned parent.

The RECORD contacted the school in question, but they have not responded to our requests for comment.

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