Yogyakarta City Government Forms Psychological Support Team for Daycare Abuse Victims

The Yogyakarta City Government will soon form a team to provide psychological support to children who are victims of violence and neglect at the Little Aresha Daycare in Sorosutan Ward, Umbulharjo, a childcare facility that was raided by police some time ago.

Yogyakarta Mayor Hasto Wardoyo, after receiving an audience from the victims’ parents in Yogyakarta, said that in principle, the parents requested protection for their children, including psychological support for the children because they had experienced violence and neglect at the daycare.

“Because the children now show some signs of being psychologically unhealthy, we have discussed this with the KPAI (Indonesian Child Protection Commission), and with the relevant department, we will immediately hold a meeting to form a support team,” he said on Sunday, 26 April 2026.

According to him, the psychological support team being formed will involve various necessary experts, such as child psychologists, child development experts, nutritionists for child intake, including parenting experts.

Moreover, he said, what was heard from the representatives of the victims’ parents, they complained about the treatment of their children while being cared for at the childcare facility, which made the parents sad.

“We have noted the treatments that were indicated to have been carried out on their children. They are sad, and we are also very sad, because what they described makes us as parents able to imagine what it is like for children who cannot protest, and children who do not yet have a ‘bargaining position’ but are subjected to such treatment,” he said.

He said that from the audience, the parents are also experiencing disturbances due to stress from the shocking condition, so the parents cried and requested psychological support for the parents.

“Therefore, we are also preparing support together, and we have psychologists in clinical psychology at community health centres, with 18 psychologists also prepared,” he said.

He said that what has been done by the police apparatus to act quickly by raiding the daycare on Friday (24/4) and conducting a marathon examination of the managers is highly appreciated, and hopes that the legal process will continue.