Perceived Preparedness of School Practitioners to Identify and Report Child Maltreatment

Abstract

Child maltreatment continues to be a significant problem across the globe. Despite the many negative outcomes of child maltreatment documented in the literature, there is limited research on how school practitioners are prepared for identifying and reporting cases of maltreatment. This study examined school practitioners’ preparedness for reporting and identifying child maltreatment. Participants were a random sample of 141 school practitioners from California and Pennsylvania. Data were collected over a 6-week period via an anonymous internet survey. Overall, results indicate that most school practitioners had mixed perceptions about their ability to identify and report maltreatment. Interpretations of the data are provided with recommendations for collaborative preservice training and in-service training approaches. Implications and recommendations for future research are provided.