Educational Needs of School Personnel regarding Child Abuse and/or Neglect

Abstract

From a review of literature a questionnaire was developed to identify problems related to child abuse/neglect in a rural school district. School administrators, regular and special education teachers, and counselors completed the survey to help establish more effective training programs. Analysis indicated that (1) school personnel need further assistance in dealing with problems pertaining to the maltreatment of students. (2) Formal, coordinated, workshop training for child abuse/neglect is needed. (3) Colleges and universities should offer instruction on abuse/neglect for persons preparing to work in schools. (4) School personnel need to be aware of and abide by the laws regarding reporting cases of abuse/neglect. (5) Improved communication among school, community, courts, and social service agencies is required for dealing with abuse cases. (6) School personnel should become more aware of what happens after abuse/neglect has been reported. Information from such analysis even for one school district can increase insight into problems.