Violence in Daycare Cannot Be Tolerated, Child Advocate: Punishment for Perpetrators Must Be Increased

Police have uncovered a case of violence at Little Aresha daycare in Yogyakarta City on Friday (24/4/2026). In the case, at least 53 children are suspected to have experienced abuse by caregivers at the facility.

Child advocate Retno Listyarti condemned the violence at the daycare. She assessed that a daycare should be a safe place to entrust children. However, the caregivers at that daycare are suspected of committing violence against children.

“This is something that we certainly cannot tolerate. They are paid, the people who entrust their children there pay quite expensively, but it turns out they are paying for these people to torture their children,” she told Republika on Sunday (26/4/2026).

According to her, the case at Little Aresha daycare is a cruel act against children. Moreover, the majority of the child victims are still under two years old.

Therefore, she urged the police to take firm action against the perpetrators. According to her, the perpetrators must be punished in accordance with the Child Protection Law.

“In the Child Protection Law, those who care for these children can actually be categorised as people close to the victim, and in the Child Protection Law, for people close to the victim, the punishment can be increased. So the increase is by one-third in the rules, and the police must use this aggravation,” said Retno.

It is known that the case was uncovered after suspicions arose from the parents. Several children were known to often cry and show fear when about to be taken to the daycare.

Initially, parents considered it a normal reaction. However, it later emerged that there was suspected abusive treatment.

Police also suspect that the practice has been ongoing for quite some time, even more than a year. Given that some caregivers have worked during that period.