Guard investigates an alleged attack on a child in a north Dublin nursery last year by a former member of staff.

The girl’s mother, who was three at the time of the incident, said her child’s arm was twisted several times and the former staff member asked the child not to tell anyone.

According to the family, who are originally from Brazil but now live in north Dublin, the incident was related to a dispute over a toy and happened in September last year.

Following the incident, which the child’s parents were unaware of at the time, the young woman’s behavior changed dramatically, her mother said.

“She started getting aggressive at home, hitting and swearing,” she said. “He was a different kid and one day he turned up with a purple bruise on his wrist that lasted 15 days. When I asked the school, no one could explain why.

“My daughter, who was already potty trained, started having frequent accidents and any emotional change causes her to wet herself.”

The parents have since decided to move the girl to another nursery.

It is understood that the member of staff allegedly involved in the incident no longer works at this childcare facility.

The family said they brought their concerns to Tusla, the children and families agency, a month after the incident. They reported the incident to the police last July.

A spokesman for An Garda Síochána confirmed that an investigation into an alleged attack in north Dublin is ongoing.

In communication with the family, investigating police confirmed they had interviewed the former member of staff last week, initially having difficulty trying to locate the person.

Asked about the incident, a Tusla spokesperson said: “You will appreciate that Tusla cannot comment on individual cases to protect the privacy of the children and families we work with.

“When a child or family enters into a relationship with a public service such as Tusla, they have the right to expect that information generated in that relationship will be treated confidentially and remain private,” a spokesman said.

“This is hugely important in the subjects Tusla is involved with.”

The nursery had not responded to a request for comment about the alleged incident at the time of publication.