Parents and guardians in Kikuyu sub-county have been urged to be vigilant following an increase in cases involving children being mistreated and abused in the area.
Speaking from her office on Monday, Kikuyu children’s officer Jane Kabiru indicated that her office deals with 8-10 cases regarding daily child abuses.
The officer said that parents and guardians who usually go to work and may not have enough time to take care of their children should ensure that they hire qualified babysitters who can be accountable in case of an emergency.
“Parents should find out the background of their house-helps to ensure that they have enough experience in dealing with children,” the officer said.
“Parents must ensure that they have details of where they hail from and relatives incase their children are abused by the house-helps.
“Restrain from taking your children to unlicensed children day cares which have sprung up all over the area, with some people turning their residential homes into day cares,” she said.
The officer also warned parents who mistreat and abuse their own children for unknown reasons, saying that her office will pull all the necessary strings required to bring them to book.
Ms Kabiru cited an incident that occurred last week in Muthiga area where a woman locked up her 4-year-old twins in her house all day without food as she attended work. The incident was reported by her neighbors who rescued the children and brought them to the office.