Amid the growing number of working parents who rely on daycare services, the quality of caregiving systems has become increasingly critical. Daycare is part of a child’s developmental ecosystem. However, when aspects such as licensing, curriculum, caregiver training, and supervision are not adequately addressed, childcare services cannot yet be considered developmental infrastructure.
“The government needs to establish a system that allows parents to easily access information regarding daycare service licenses,” said developmental psychology expert and Universitas Gadjah Mada Psychology alumna, Okina Fitriani, on Thursday (May. 21).
According to Okina, the child abuse case at Little Aresha daycare in Yogyakarta has exposed layers of problems that have long remained hidden within Indonesia’s early childhood caregiving system. She explained that the phenomenon should not merely be understood as an issue of individual violence but connected to the quality of caregiving services, caregiver preparedness, and support systems for families.
For Okina, the case can be viewed from four root causes: the perpetrators, the supervision system, child victims, and the parents themselves.
“From the perpetrators’ side, this is clearly a crime that was not spontaneous but organized and systematic; there were orders involved, and the caregivers themselves should have realized that such behavior was inappropriate,” she explained.
From the perspective of supervision systems and policymakers, Okina emphasized that early childhood caregiving must be guided by clear standards. According to her, such standards are essential because caregivers are responsible for recognizing the boundaries of safe caregiving practices for children.
Even under pressure from others, caregivers must still understand that certain actions cannot be justified in the context of caring for young children. The government also needs to conduct regular supervision of existing daycare centers.
According to Okina, the case at a daycare center in Yogyakarta adds to the long list of concerning conditions surrounding daycare services in Indonesia. The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA) recorded that only 30.7 percent of daycare centers in Indonesia possess operational permits, while in Yogyakarta City, 37 daycare centers were licensed and 33 remained unlicensed.
“This is actually not only about violence, but also about weaknesses in the system,” she said.
From the perspective of children as victims, Okina stated that early childhood development is crucial for building cognitive abilities, personality formation, and future self-qualities. However, when violence occurs, the long-term risks become significant.
“When violence occurs against children aged 0-3 years, the effects are implicit. At this age, intervention becomes more challenging,” she remarked.
The impact of cases like this makes detection and intervention processes more difficult because the signs that emerge are often indirect. In academic journals, explaining that young children are frequently unable to verbally express their negative experiences or may not yet understand those experiences constitutes violence.
Okina also noted that parents in this case are victims as well, specifically victims of institutional deception. From this incident, she said parents need to become more aware of warning signs.
“So far, parents tend to think that if there are no bruises or visible injuries, everything is fine. In this case, the child was tied with a soft cloth, meaning there were no obvious marks. Even without physical signs, if children say things that raise questions, parents need to immediately seek clarification,” she explained.
Under these circumstances, the role of parents becomes crucial, especially in developing sensitivity toward such signs and preparing an appropriate daycare environment. Reactions such as heightened anxiety, refusal toward the situations, or changes in eating patterns and emotions may indicate discomfort that requires further attention.
When parents discover that their children have experienced inappropriate treatment, the process not only concerns the child’s condition but also creates emotional pressure on the parents themselves. Feelings of guilt, regret, and confusion about how to respond to the situation often emerge after the incident is revealed. Therefore, parents’ mental health also needs attention throughout the legal process.
“Parents’ mental health and legal assistance must go hand in hand. This is a traumatic event, and the focus should be on reducing feelings of guilt and helping parents regain focus,” she explained.
In closing, Okina emphasized that if the aspects related to perpetrators, systems, children, and parents are strengthened collectively, similar cases can hopefully be prevented in the future. In response to the situation, the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Psychology UGM) has opened a Crisis Center hotline (+62 821-3768-0588), which can be accessed free of charge as a form of psychological support for parents and families affected by daycare violence cases.
Reporter: Arrasya Aninggadhira/Public Relations Faculty of Psychology UGM
Author: Salwa
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian
Photo: Magnific