Proven South Carolina Daycare Injury Attorneys

South Carolina Daycare Injury Attorney for Victims of Daycare Negligence & Abuse 

Daycares are subject to a long list of rules and regulations intended to keep your children safe. Unfortunately, those rules are often violated, and kids get hurt. If the daycare that caused your child's harm is not held accountable, the likelihood of repeat violations only increases. 

I am a Columbia attorney who focuses on helping children injured due to daycare negligence in South Carolina.  My belief in child safety and the rights of our most vulnerable citizens drives me to seek justice on behalf of families while eliminating dangerous daycares from our state.

What to Do If Your Child Is Harmed At Daycare

When you suspect that negligence or abuse is happening in a daycare, you have options. First, you should act to ensure your child’s safety and remove him or her from the dangerous environment. Local law enforcement can put you in contact with the right agencies, or you may contact the South Carolina Child Protective Services directly for help.

You can also reach out to a South Carolina daycare injury attorney with experience handling daycare negligence and abuse cases. He or she should have the legal knowledge and resources to navigate any insurance claim, civil action, and possible bringing of criminal charges.

Reporting Child Abuse to Police & State Agencies

When you contact DSS or the police, be prepared to provide them with information regarding the following: 

• your reasons and suspicions for making the report;
• the name of the child or children involved in the abuse;
• the location where the abuse is occurring and the current location of the child;
• the name of the person you suspect is abusing the child, if you know it;
• the names of any state agencies who have been previously involved with the facility or child; and
• your name and contact information, in case the agency needs to follow up, although you may report anonymously.

Once you’ve made the report, law enforcement and DSS will investigate. Additionally, unless you choose to report anonymously,  you should be notified of any case updates.

Basis for Reporting Daycare Abuse

In South Carolina, suspected abuse is all that is necessary to make a report. So long as you have a "good faith" basis for contacting law enforcement, you have every right to call their attention to potential harm. 

Additionally, under South Carolina law [20-7-510(A)], certain individuals are designated as “mandatory reporters,” or people who, because of their occupation, are required by law to notify officials of suspected abuse or neglect.

Mandatory reporters include:

• social workers;
• daycare employees;
• police officers;
• members of the clergy;
• teachers, counselors, and principals;
• medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses and dentists;
• foster parents or guardians;
• film processors; and
• computer technicians.

Even if you are not a mandatory reporter, if you have reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected at daycare, please inform DSS and the police.