In short: there is a national procedure for cases of violence in education units. The correct escalation is teacher → head of unit → inspectorate, and in serious cases the head has immediate obligations: notify 119 (the child helpline) if the victim is a minor, alert the police if the act may be a criminal offence, inform the school inspectorate, and urgently call in the parents. As a parent, you can report directly at any of these levels.
Biting between small children is common and usually not violence in the legal sense. This article gives you a calm framework for telling an ordinary incident apart from a situation that requires a formal complaint.
First: an incident between children, or an act by an adult?
The distinction completely changes the response.
An incident between children (common at ages 1–4). Biting, pushing and grabbing toys are age-typical behaviours, when language cannot keep up with frustration. What should correctly happen: staff intervene immediately, provide first aid, record the incident, and inform the parents of both children. You are not entitled to the other child’s name — their data is protected.
An act by an adult at the unit. Here there is no tolerance and no “teaching method” defence. The violence case-management procedure described below applies directly.
Repeated marks with no explanation — bruises, marks, specific fear of one person. Treat these as the second category until proven otherwise.
The steps, in order
1. Care for your child and document everything
- Ask for first aid and see a doctor if needed. For bites that break the skin, get a medical consultation the same day.
- Photograph the marks, with the date.
- Ask for the incident report — the unit must record the event.
- Write down what your child told you, in their own words, with the date.
- For situations with possible legal consequences, a forensic medical certificate from the Institute of Forensic Medicine carries far more weight than an ordinary note.
Do not interrogate your child persistently. Repeated and leading questions contaminate the account and can do more harm than good.
2. The conversation with the teacher
Ask for a scheduled conversation, not one at the door at pick-up. Useful questions: what exactly happened, who was supervising, how it was handled, what measures are being taken to prevent a repeat. Ask to receive the conclusion in writing.
3. Written complaint to the head of unit
If the answer does not satisfy you, or the incident is serious, move to a written complaint. Include:
- your child’s details and their group;
- what happened, with date and time;
- attached documents (photos, medical records);
- what you are specifically requesting (internal investigation, measures, information);
- date and signature.
File it with the unit’s registry and ask for the registration number. Without a registration number, the complaint does not exist administratively. Keep a copy.
4. The head of unit’s obligations in serious cases
Under the national procedure on managing cases of violence (approved by ministerial order in 2023), in serious cases the head of unit:
- urgently notifies 119 — the helpline for cases of violence against children (DGASPC), when the victim is a minor;
- alerts the police (including the School Safety Bureau) if there is suspicion of an act covered by criminal law and 112 has not already been called;
- informs the school inspectorate about serious cases;
- urgently informs the parents of the children involved and calls them to the unit.
Once the case is registered with DGASPC following the 119 call, the DGASPC director appoints a case manager, who forms a multidisciplinary and inter-institutional team.
5. External escalation
If the unit does not react, you can go further, in parallel:
| Where | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| ISJ Cluj | The unit does not respond, or responds formally | Written complaint, with the unit’s registration number |
| 119 | Violence against a child | By phone, free, around the clock |
| 112 | Emergency in progress | By phone |
| Police | Suspicion of a criminal offence | Complaint at the station or School Safety Bureau |
| DGASPC Cluj | Suspicion of abuse or neglect | Written complaint or via 119 |
| ARACIP | Private unit, standards issues | Online complaint |
For private units, also check the authorisation/accreditation status — see accredited vs. authorised.
What an investigation can lead to
If the inspectorate’s investigation confirms abusive behaviour, the staff involved can face disciplinary sanctions, up to termination of their employment contract. In parallel, the police may open a criminal case, for example for abusive conduct — the two tracks are independent and can run simultaneously.
Realistically: procedures take time. Documentation done properly in the first days is what keeps them on track.
How to support your child in the meantime
- Keep the routine, but do not ignore the signals. See what counts as normal settling in and what is a red flag.
- Ask for support from the school counsellor or CJRAE Cluj — see free assessment and services through CJRAE.
- Do not make your child repeat the story in front of several adults.
- If you decide to change units, see transferring to another nursery or kindergarten.
Frequently asked questions
What do I do if my child was bitten at nursery? Get first aid and a medical consultation if the skin is broken, photograph the mark, ask for the incident report and a scheduled conversation with the teacher. Between small children, biting is usually a developmental incident rather than violence — but it must still be recorded and managed.
Do I have the right to know who bit my child? No. The other child’s data is protected. The unit owes you information about what happened and what measures it is taking, not the other child’s identity.
Where do I report a serious incident at kindergarten? To the head of unit, in writing and with a registration number, and in parallel to ISJ Cluj. For violence against a child there is the 119 line, and for acts that may be criminal offences, the police. For an emergency in progress, 112.
What is 119? It is the national helpline for cases of violence against children, connected to DGASPC. The national procedure requires notifying 119 in serious cases where the victim is a minor.
Is the head of unit obliged to call the police? Yes, if there is suspicion of an act covered by criminal law and the 112 service has not already been called, the head urgently notifies the police.
What happens to the teacher if the investigation confirms abuse? They can face disciplinary sanctions, up to termination of their employment contract, and a criminal case may be opened in parallel. The two procedures are independent.
Sources
- Procedure on managing cases of violence against nursery children, preschoolers and pupils — Romanian Legislative Portal
- The procedure — full text (PDF) — as published in the Official Gazette
- Management of violence cases — Ministry of Education
- File a report for situations of violence against a child — ANPDCA
- Cluj County School Inspectorate — county-level complaints
Conclusion
The key is not to react louder but more methodically: care and documentation, a scheduled conversation, a written complaint with a registration number, then escalation. Most incidents between small children are resolved at the first step — but if an adult is involved, the national procedure gives you clear levers, including 119 and the police.
If you have decided you want other options, compare the units in your neighbourhood on the piticluj.ro interactive map. See also our data sources.