Key facts
- Indonesian police arrested 13 carers at the Little Aresha daycare centre in Yogyakarta on suspicion of child abuse and neglect.
- Dozens of children aged 2 to 6 were found with their hands and feet tied, some tethered to doors.
- The centre was allegedly operating without the required licenses.
- Caregivers reportedly used restraints to make children more manageable and to maximize client numbers.
- The government has pledged to review daycare regulations nationwide following the incident.
Indonesian authorities have arrested 13 carers at the Little Aresha daycare centre in Yogyakarta on suspicion of child abuse and neglect, following a police raid in April. The investigation revealed that dozens of children, aged between 2 and 6 years old, were found with their hands and feet tied, with some tethered to doors. Parents reported their children exhibited signs of trauma, with one father noting his daughter's hysterical crying before attending the centre.
According to police, caregivers admitted to using physical restraints to make the children "more manageable" and to accommodate a higher number of enrolled children than staff could adequately supervise. The centre, which charged up to 1 million rupiah ($55.74) per month, was allegedly operating without the required licenses, a violation that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail. The recommended government guideline is one caregiver for every four children, but Little Aresha reportedly had one caregiver for every ten.
The case has triggered a significant public outcry, with child rights activists calling it the largest single instance of alleged child violence in Indonesia. Mainstream media and social media platforms have widely covered the allegations, leading to widespread condemnation from rights groups and lawmakers. In response, the government has pledged to conduct a national review of daycare centres to ensure they meet child protection standards and is urging all such facilities to register.
Little Aresha, which had been operating since 2018, offered services for children as young as two months old. The concept of formal daycare is relatively new in Indonesia, where children are traditionally cared for by extended family. Many daycare centres operate informally and are not registered with authorities. The police expect to complete their investigation by late June, after which the case will be handed to the provincial prosecutor's office.