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Addressing concerns about child maltreatment in schools : a brief research report on social work involvement in reporting processes Liz Beddoe and Irene de Haan

By: Beddoe, Liz.
Contributor(s): de Haan, Irene.
Material type: materialTypeLabelArticleSeries: Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work.Publisher: Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers 2018Subject(s): CHILD ABUSE | Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children | CHILD NEGLECT | CHILD PROTECTION | INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION | SCHOOLS | SOCIAL WORK | NEW ZEALANDOnline resources: Click here to access online In: Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 30(1): 58-64Summary: INTRODUCTION: School-based social workers (SWiS) in Aotearoa New Zealand work alongside teachers and principals to improve child wellbeing. The SWiS experience in addressing concerns about possible child abuse and neglect (CAN) is under-researched. METHOD: In the first phase of the project, the authors undertook semi-structured interviews with 20 SWiS to explore their experiences of how school professionals addressed CAN. FINDINGS: Some considerable variation in making formal notifications of concerns to the statutory agency was found. In some schools SWiS made all the notifications, in others none, and in some schools the process was variable. Stigma associated with child abuse was reported as a factor in attitudes towards reporting. School-based social workers reported the need for better education and policy to guide schools to address CAN. IMPLICATIONS: More joint education is needed to ensure a common knowledge base and better interprofessional work. There is potential for SWiS to support this work if better resourced. (Authors' abstract). Record #5809
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Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 30(1): 58-64

INTRODUCTION: School-based social workers (SWiS) in Aotearoa New Zealand work alongside teachers and principals to improve child wellbeing. The SWiS experience in addressing concerns about possible child abuse and neglect (CAN) is under-researched.

METHOD: In the first phase of the project, the authors undertook semi-structured interviews with 20 SWiS to explore their experiences of how school professionals addressed CAN.

FINDINGS: Some considerable variation in making formal notifications of concerns to the statutory agency was found. In some schools SWiS made all the notifications, in others none, and in some schools the process was variable. Stigma associated with child abuse was reported as a factor in attitudes towards reporting. School-based social workers reported the need for better education and policy to guide schools to address CAN.

IMPLICATIONS: More joint education is needed to ensure a common knowledge base and better interprofessional work. There is potential for SWiS to support this work if better resourced. (Authors' abstract). Record #5809