Experiences of Blantyre urban primary school teachers in identifying and reporting child physical abuse
Child physical abuse is a serious public health problem because of its association with poor child health outcomes. Effective identification and reporting of child physical abuse is critical to break cycles of physical abuse and for developing a well-functioning child protection system. Teachers amo...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2021
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| Online Access: | http://nkhokwe.kuhes.ac.mw:8080/handle/20.500.12845/273 |
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Add Tag | Summary: | Child physical abuse is a serious public health problem because of its association with poor child health outcomes. Effective identification and reporting of child physical abuse is critical to break cycles of physical abuse and for developing a well-functioning child protection system. Teachers among other professionals are uniquely positioned to identify and report child abuse cases because of their daily contact with children. However, little is known about the experiences of teachers in identifying and reporting child abuse cases in their schools. This study explored the experiences of primary school teachers in identifying and reporting of child physical abuse cases in Blantyre urban. A descriptive qualitative study, with purposive sampling technique, was employed. The sample size was 10 key informants and 59 primary school teachers. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data with the aid of a semi structured interview schedule. Thematic data analysis using six steps of Braun and Clarke was employed to analyze data. The findings of the study revealed that teachers were aware of their responsibility to detect suspected child physical abuse and also to report the suspected cases but faced challenges such as lack of knowledge and skills, large classes, inadequate time and lack of clear guidelines for dealing with child physical abuse. It was also noted that some teachers were culprits of perpetrating child physical abuse and many had supportive attitudes towards the utilisation of corporal punishment as a means of child discipline. It was, therefore, suggested that there should be professional development for both primary school managers and teachers on handling child physical abuse cases and on alternative and effective strategies of disciplining students. With regards to safety concerns raised by the teachers and effective response to child physical abuse cases, the study further recommends a multiple disciplinary approach to the issue of child physical abuse with clear reporting lines and guidelines. |
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