A report created by the Child Welfare Information Gateway states, “Dealing with child abuse and neglect is, in fact, a community effort. As leaders in their communities, educators are often in an ideal position to initiate this type of teamwork.”
As some children spend most of their day with educators, the role of the teacher can be extremely important in mitigating child abuse & neglect. Here are some of the ways educators contribute to the safety of children and families:
Recognizing signs of abuse
The Role of Educators in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect Report by the Child Welfare Information Gateway states, “Educators are in an excellent position to notice behavioral indicators. As trained observers, they are sensitive to the range of behaviors exhibited by children at various developmental stages, and they are quick to notice behaviors that fall outside this range.”
Since educators spend so much time with children, they can better notice physical, emotional, and behavioral changes. They can also talk to other educators that the child has interacted with to gain a better understanding of the child’s usual behavior and any changes that may have occurred.
Resources such as the Child Welfare Training System (CWTS) – an advanced adult learning system for child welfare workers, other professionals, foster parents and mandatory reporters – can also help teachers learn more about recognizing signs of abuse.
Creating a safe environment
Educators also have the opportunity to create a safe environment in their classrooms and schools that allow children to feel comfortable to confide in them about potential abuse.
This allows children to feel safe in the school environment, opening them up to adults they can trust and talk to.
Supporting parents, caregivers, and family members
Because educators also interact with caregivers, they are in a position to advise parents on at-home strategies that can prevent child abuse and neglect. The CDC states that one of the protective factors that help prevent child abuse is “Families with strong social support networks and stable, positive relationships with the people around them.”
By building relationships with families, educators can have an opinion in protecting the children around them.
Working alongside supportive school programs
Educator training and school programs that aid in preventing child abuse is fundamental to a child’s support system. One example of educators working alongside support programs is the Trauma-Responsive Implementation and Practice (TRIP) program at The Kempe Center. The TRIP program integrates, enhances and implements trauma-responsive and culturally appropriate practices for parents, educators and others to help mitigate the impact of trauma. The program provides direct evidence-based clinical services to children and families, facilitates trainings for professionals across the human service fields and offers implementation guidance for child, youth and family-serving agencies.
Programs such as TRIP provide additional support to schools and educators to better advocate for child and family safety.
Educating themselves, and their students, on disparities
As we’ve talked about in our “Talking to your children about race, inequality, and diversity” blog post, educating oneself, and children, about disparities in society can also help society better understand the world around them.
Building a classroom or school environment that respects all experiences can allow children to feel safer, and more trusting of educators. The article “Five Activities to Promote Diversity in the Classroom” by Purdue University Global states, “It’s up to teachers to help students explore cultures that differ from their own. “It’s important for us all to honor our differences,” says Weaver. “And as the adults in the classroom, teachers have to model what that looks like for our children.”
Racial disparities still exist within child welfare. By helping children and parents alike understand this, educators are also introducing their community to the ways inequality might play a part in child abuse and neglect, reporting, and family experiences.
Most of all, by teaching this type of material, teachers can also take a deep delve into their own biases, which will allow them to take action to be better educators, and guides, for children and families.