PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' ROLE IN DETECTING AND REPORTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES

Authors

  • Adriana FărcaÅŸ University of BabeÅŸ-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca

Keywords:

child abuse and neglect, child abuse reporting, child abuse indicators

Abstract

Any professional working with children is obliged by law to report
suspected child abuse. However, teachers face several difficulties in
recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect cases.
Using methods similar to those of international studies in this domain
(qualitative analysis of open questions questionnaire) this paper analyses the
responses given by a sample of teachers working in mainstream preschool
and primary school establishments in Cluj, highlighting the issues linked to
their knowledge of child abuse and neglect indicators and their reporting
attitudes.
The results highlight that, although the respondents are aware of possible
signs of child abuse and neglect, there is a lack of thorough knowledge of
child abuse indicators on an individual basis. The results also emphasis on
lack of training in this area and on reporting not being directed to social
services, leaving possible abuse cases outside of special intervention area.

References

Buckley, H. and McGarry, K. (2011). Child Protection in Primary

Schools: A Contradiction in Terms or a Potential Opportunity?.

Irish Educational Studies, 30: 1, 113— 128

Burns, V., David, T. (1993).Child Protection. International Journal of

Early Years Education, 1: 2, 71 — 76

Cates, D.L., Markell, M. A. and Bettenhausen, S. (1995). At Risk for

Abuse: A Teacher's Guide for Recognizing and Reporting Child

Neglect and Abuse. Preventing School Failure: Alternative

Education for Children and Youth, 39: 2, 6— 9

City and Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust (2005). Child

Protection Supervision Policy. NSH

Cradock, G. (2004). Risk, Morality, and Child Protection: Risk

Calculation as Guides to Practice. Science Technology Human

Values, 29: 314

Darlington, Y., Healy, K., Feeney J. A. (2010). Approaches to

Assessment and Intervention Across Four Types of Child and

Family Welfare Services. Children and Youth Services Review 32,

–364

Goldbeck L, Laib-Koehnemund A, Fegert J.M. (2007). A Randomized

Controlled Trial of Consensus-Based Child Abuse Case

Management. Child Abuse & Neglect 31, 919–933

Goldman, J.D.G. (2010). Australian Undergraduate Primary School

Student-Teachers' Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and its

Mandatory Reporting. Pastoral Care in Education, 28:4, 283-294

Hawtin, A. and Wyse, D. (1998). Child protection, The Teachers’ role.

Education, 3-13, 26: 3, 15— 22

Hinson, J. and Fossey, R. (2000). Child Abuse: What Teachers in the

'90s Know, Think, and Do. Journal of Education for Students Placed

at Risk (JESPAR), 5: 3, 251 — 266

Kaiser, K. and Berry, S. (1988). Child Abuse: Definitions, Reporting,

Stereotypes; A Survey of Butte County, California Residents. Early

Child Development and Care, 31: 1, 59 — 74

Lau, Keneth J., Krase, K, Morse, R. H (2009), Mandated Reporting of

Child Abuse and Neglect, A Practical Guide for Social Workers,

Springer Publishing Company, LLC

Legea 272/2004 privind protectia si promovarea drepturilor copilului,

Monitorul Oficial, Partea I nr. 557 din 23 iunie 2004

Mathews, B. And Kenny, C.M. (2008). Mandatory Reporting

Legislation in the United States, Canada, and Australia: A Cross-

Jurisdictional, Child Maltreatement, 13, 50- 63

Ordinul 288 din 6 iulie 2006 (Ordinul 288/2006) pentru aprobarea

standardelor minime obligatorii privind managementul de caz in

domeniul protectiei drepturilor copilului. Monitorul Oficial 637 din

iulie 2006 (M. Of. 637/2006)

Rodriguez, C.M, (2002) Professionals Attitudes and Accuracy on Child

Abuse Reporting Decisions in New Zealand, Journal of Interpersonal

Violence, 17:3, 320-342.

Ryan, S., Wiles, D., Cash, S., Siebert, C. (2005). Risk Assessments:

Empirically Supported or Values Driven?. Children and Youth

Services Review, 27, 213– 225

Walsh, K., Bridgstock, R. Farrell, A. Rassafiani, M. Schweitzer R.

(2008) Case, Teacher and School Characteristics influencing

Teachers’ Detection and Reporting of Child Physical Abuse and

Neglect: Results from an Australian Survey, Child Abuse & Neglect,

, 983–993

Weil, M., Karls, M.G. and associates (1985) Case Management in

Human Service Practice, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Publishers

Zellman, G.L. (1990). Child Abuse Reporting and Failure to Report

among Mandated Reporters Prevalence, Incidence, and Reasons.

Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5:1, 3-22.

Zellman, G.L. (1990) Linking Schools and Social Services: The Case of

Child Abuse Reporting. Educational Evaluation and Policy

Analysis, 12: 1, 41-55.

Downloads

Published

2019-02-13