Can You Sue a Goddard School for Child Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania?
When you entrust a school with your child, you expect them to be safe. If that trust was broken and your child was sexually abused at a Goddard School in Pennsylvania, you have the right to pursue a civil claim. That claim can hold both the abuser and the school accountable. A civil case moves on its own track, separate from any criminal process. You do not need a conviction, a charge, or even an ongoing investigation to move forward, and you do not need to have reported the abuse right away. This is not your fault. A civil claim is often the only way a family gets real answers about what happened, and the only way to make a school change how it protects children going forward.How a Goddard School Franchise Can Be Responsible
The person who committed the abuse is responsible for their own actions. But Goddard Schools operate as independently owned franchises, and the school’s owner, and potentially the broader franchise system, can also be held liable when their own negligence made the abuse possible. A school can be held responsible for things like:- Negligent hiring: bringing on staff without the Pennsylvania clearances required for childcare workers, or despite clear warning signs.
- Negligent supervision: allowing one adult to be alone with a child, or failing to follow ratio and visibility requirements.
- Negligent retention: keeping a worker on staff after complaints or troubling behavior had already surfaced.
- Failure to report suspected abuse as required under Pennsylvania’s mandated-reporter law.
- Cover-up: concealing an incident to protect the school’s reputation rather than the children in its care.
Worried the Deadline Has Passed? It May Not Have.
Pennsylvania sets specific deadlines for filing a civil claim, and those deadlines have changed in recent years. How much time you have depends on factors like how old you were when the abuse occurred. The safest step is to confirm your own deadline directly rather than assuming it is already too late. Abuse at a Goddard School from years ago may still fall within the filing window, but waiting longer can limit your options. A free, confidential call with Ashley DiLiberto gives you a clear, accurate answer about your specific deadline, at no cost and with no obligation.What Happens When You Reach Out (No Pressure, No Paperwork Needed)
You do not need every detail, a police report, or any paperwork to reach out. You do not need to have told anyone before now. A first conversation is simply that: a conversation, on your terms and at your pace. When you are ready, here is what a confidential review with Ashley DiLiberto looks like:- You share only what feels right. There are no demands and no judgment.
- Ashley explains, in plain language, whether the Goddard School and the people involved can be held accountable, and what your options are.
- If we move forward, the case will be handled on a contingency basis, meaning there is no cost to you unless we win.
What a Civil Claim Can Help You Recover
A civil claim can seek compensation for counseling and future therapy, medical care, lost income, pain and suffering, and the lasting impact the abuse has had on your life. For many survivors, a case means more than money. It is about accountability and about pushing the Goddard School to change how it protects children so no one else is harmed the same way. Survivors of Abuse PA handles these cases on contingency, so there is no cost unless we win. Every case is evaluated on its own facts, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.About Ashley DiLiberto
Ashley B. DiLiberto, Esq. is a Partner at Messa & Associates, P.C. in Philadelphia, where she leads the firm’s national Mass Tort Litigation Team and focuses her practice on representing survivors of sexual abuse across Pennsylvania. Ashley has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers “Rising Star” every year since 2019, and she represented survivors in the Boy Scouts of America cases connected to the $2.46 billion settlement. She is admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar (Attorney ID 323701, admitted 2017) and carries a clean disciplinary record. She offers free, confidential consultations 24/7, and she is here to listen whenever you are ready. Past results do not guarantee a future outcome.Frequently asked questions
Can I sue a Goddard School for abuse?
Often, yes. A civil claim can name the abuser and the school — including the franchise owner — where negligent hiring, supervision, retention, or failure to report helped the abuse happen. A free review tells you whether you have a claim.
Does it matter that Goddard Schools are franchises?
No. The local owner can be held responsible for negligence, and an attorney examines whether the broader franchise system owed your child a duty as well.
Who do I call to report daycare abuse in Pennsylvania?
If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. To report suspected child abuse, contact ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313, available 24/7. An attorney can also explain your legal options privately and at no cost.
Do I need a criminal conviction to sue?
No. A civil case is separate from the criminal system. You can pursue it even if no one was charged or convicted, and even if the abuse was never reported at the time.
Who is liable — the worker or the school?
Often both. The abuser is responsible for their actions, but the school is frequently liable too, and it usually has the insurance and resources to make a recovery meaningful.
What are the warning signs of abuse?
Common signs include sudden fear of a person or of going to school, unexplained injuries, regression, nightmares, age-inappropriate behavior, and withdrawal. They do not prove abuse but are reasons to ask questions and seek help.
How long do we have to file in Pennsylvania?
Deadlines depend on the child's age and when the abuse happened, and they have changed in recent years. Even older cases may still qualify. A free call confirms your exact deadline.
Will our case be kept private?
Your first conversation is confidential, and protecting a child's privacy is a priority. Many abuse settlements are confidential. You share only what you are comfortable with.
What does it cost?
Nothing up front. These cases are handled on contingency — no fee unless we win — and the consultation is free and confidential.
Serving sexual abuse survivors across Pennsylvania
Ashley DiLiberto represents survivors statewide. Explore help in your area:
