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How To Deal With Issues of Child Abuse In a Primary School Context

How To Deal With Issues of Child Abuse In a Primary School Context. By: Katrina, Quinn & Bronwyn Mc. To treat a person with cruelty or violence regularly or repeatedly ( The New Oxford American Dictionary, 2001) . What is Child Abuse?. Types of Child Abuse.

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How To Deal With Issues of Child Abuse In a Primary School Context

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  1. How To Deal With Issues of Child Abuse In a Primary School Context By: Katrina, Quinn & Bronwyn Mc

  2. To treat a person with cruelty or violence regularly or repeatedly (The New Oxford American Dictionary, 2001). What is Child Abuse? Types of Child Abuse • Neglect – the persistent or severe neglect of a child by a caregiver which results in serious impairment of the child’s health or development. • Physical Abuse– physical injury to a child where the injury was inflicted or knowingly not prevented by a caregiver. • Sexual Abuse – the involvement of dependent children and adolescents in sexual activities they do not truly comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent. • Emotional Abuse – The severe adverse effect on the behaviour and emotional development of a child caused by persistent or severe emotional ill-treatment or rejection. • - (David, 1993, pp. 17-18)

  3. According to the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act of 1989: • Any person who believes that any child or any young person has been, or is likely to be, harmed (whether physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected, or deprived may report that matter to a social worker or a constable. No civil, criminal or disciplinary proceedings shall result for reporting such acts. • (New Zealand Government, 2011) New Zealand Laws Regarding Child Abuse

  4. Physical symptoms with or without obvious cause – bruises, abrasions, burns, broken bones etc. • Behaviour extremes • Lacking in confidence and self-worth. • Attempted self-harm. • Compulsive behaviours. • Eating disorders. • Socially isolated. • Reluctance to go home. • Showing fear in presence of carer. • Shame and/or guilt, reluctance to undress at school. • School non-attendance. • Gain/ loss of weight. • Inadequate, dirty clothing or inappropriate for season. • Severe dental decay • Begging or stealing. - (Davies & Duckett, 2008. pp. 19, 100-101, 139) Some Indicators of Child Abuse That May be Witnessed By Classroom Teachers

  5. Teachers have an important role to play in child abuse cases: • In the detection and reporting of abuse • In working within a multi-agency teamwork environment • In contributing to the ongoing support and monitoring of the abused child • In preparing children to cope with potentially abusing environments. • Teachers should make sure that they are well educated on the signs of child abuse and how to approach and report it. • Ensure that primary teachers are making a conscious effort to create a supportive and friendly environment in which children feel comfortable to approach the teacher with concerns. Responsibilities That Primary School Teachers Need to Take in Response to Child Abuse

  6. Here are some actions to take: • 1. Keep an evidence log • 2. Speak with the child • 3. Speak with principal/colleague- informing other colleagues is key. That way you don’t need to go through it alone. They can give advice. • 4. Report the abuse • 5. Continue to be supportive of the abused child If you need to contact someone urgently because of your immediate concern about the safety of a child then please call the police (111) or Child, Youth and Family services (Call -0508 FAMILY) Actions That Primary School Teachers Need to Take in Response to Child Abuse

  7. When child abuse accusations end up being not true, it not only can put extra stress on the family, but it can have devastating negative effects on the parent’s well-being as well as the children and may result in: • The parents losing respect in their communities and schools • The parent’s reputation as a “good” parent being ruined or tainted • The parent’s home life being torn open and investigated • A negative or untrusting relationship between the teacher and the parents When the child abuse accusations are proven true, not only are the children commonly removed from the home for safety reasons (if the abuse is severe), but parents may face charges, jail time or even the ultimate end result of losing the custody of their children From the Parent’s Perspective…

  8. …But sometimes appropriate foster homes or child care services aren’t always the best option for abused children which is why other approaches have been introduced. For example: One model which has fundamentally changed the way child welfare services operate in New Zealand isthe Effective Participatory Practice (EPP) is a model of family decision making that incorporates the process of Family Group Conferences (FGCs). • Family Group Conferences work on the principles of family decision making, power sharing, family • empowerment, and cultural relevancy, when addressing the safety of children in abuse and • neglect cases. • The importance of protecting the child within the context of the family is important and involving the family in care and protection decisions has been embraced internationally - (Connolly & McKenzie, 1999)

  9. Here Are a Few More Websites and Articles You Can Check Out: • New Call to Tackle Child Neglect http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/new-call-tackle-child-neglect-3946985) • Preventing Child Neglect in New Zealand http://www.occ.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/7882/CC_Preventing_child_neglect_122010.pdf • New Zealand Family Violence Clearing House http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/ • Ministry of Health: Family Violence Intervention Guidelines http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/4220/$File/family-violence.pdf More information on the subject will be taught in EDUP 365: Health Education. To find more Information about this Topic...

  10. Connolly, M., & McKenzie, M. (1999). Effective participatory practice: Family group conferencingin child protection. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. • David, T. (1993). Child protection and early years teachers: coping with child abuse. Philadelphia: Open University Press. • Davies, L. & Duckett, N. (2008). Proactive child protection and social work. Britain: Learning Matters. • Maher, P. (1987). Child Abuse: The Educational Perspective. Great Britain: T.J. Press Ltd, Cornwall. • New Zealand Government. (2011). New Zealand registration: public acts. Retrieved from http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0024/latest/DLM149467.html. • The New Oxford Dictionary of English. (2001). New York: Oxford University Press. References

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