Child abuse or assault is tragic in any circumstance, but it absolutely unacceptable when children are placed in a group home for care and supervision. In general, group homes are homes for disabled and/or elderly adults. They are an alternative to larger assisted care facilities or nursing homes for challenged individuals who may need a different type of care. In many cases, they care for a small number of people with similar issues, such as the developmentally disabled or people who need support with their daily living activities. Many people like the idea of their adult child being placed in a group home, which is a smaller atmosphere than may be more like a home.
While most group homes are run by responsible people who strive to keep their residents happy and well cared for, unfortunately in some cases they are run by people who are more concerned with profits than providing a high level of care. One issue with some group homes is that they may have less stringent regulations than other types of facilities. While group homes have to be licensed, in many cases the homes have a very small number of residents, and therefore are less likely to get the same types of scrutiny from officials that larger facilities receive. Also, there may only be a couple of employees at the home, which can make it easier to hide abuse.
In some cases, the group homes may have staff members or owners that become abusive towards their residents. The residents of the homes typically have severe disabilities that would prevent them from getting help from authorities or asserting their rights. The types of abuse that can occur in group homes include physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.
If you believe that your loved one is being abused in a group home in the San Francisco Bay Area, it’s critical that you get help. Unfortunately, it is up to you to protect your loved ones – if you rely on government officials or facility staff to catch the abusers, it’s highly unlikely that anything will change. These homes often fly under the radar and may not ever be inspected.
Instead, you should completely investigate the group home before your family member is admitted. If possible, talk to the family members of other residents to find out if they are happy with the facility. Visit the home and look for signs of abuse or neglect.
In some cases, even if you perform a very thorough investigation in advance, you may not be able to prevent abuse from occurring. You should be aware of the signs of abuse, such as a change in behavior or mood and physical changes. If you do have suspicions, talk to not only the manager of the group home, but also the appropriate government officials. Depending on the situation, you may want to remove your loved one from the home immediately.
Group home abuse is devastating not only to the victim, but also to his or her family. Abusers deserve to be punished, not only criminally, but also in civil court. If your loved one was abused in a group home in the Oakland-San Francisco area, call the Oakland-San Francisco personal injury attorneys at Liberty Law. Micha Star Liberty believes that anyone who abuses those who are the most vulnerable should be held legally responsible and should be forced to pay for the damage they cause to their victims, including physical damage, emotional damage, and financial damage. Call the dedicated attorneys at Liberty Law today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.
