Aftermath of Little Aresha Tragedy, Himpsi Urges Government to Tighten Daycare Regulations

The Indonesian Psychological Association (Himpsi) has strongly condemned the allegations of violence against children and toddlers at the Little Aresha Daycare facility in Yogyakarta City. Acts of violence, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, against children are considered serious violations.

Himpsi’s General Chairman, Dr Andik Matulessy, stated that children who become victims of violence are at risk of experiencing long-term impacts on their psychological, social, and cognitive development. Therefore, it is important to provide comprehensive handling for child victims.

According to him, children who show indications of experiencing violence must immediately receive trauma-based psychological assessments, as well as ongoing psychological interventions based on evidence-based practice. “Support for the victims’ families is also very important to prevent secondary trauma impacts,” said Dr Andik to Republika on Monday (27/4/2026).

In addition, Himpsi also highlighted the responsibility of daycare institutions as an important part of the child development ecosystem. Dr Andik emphasised that daycare services are not merely places for child minding, but part of the ecosystem for early childhood development.