Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-22DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100203
Matthew Townsend , Donna O'Leary , Sinead Whiting
Background
Signs of Safety (SofS) is a strength-based approach for family intervention. The SofS model has been adopted in many jurisdictions internationally, including Ireland. It is used by social workers to engage with families referred for services due to concerns about child welfare or abuse.
Objective
To examine the implementation and use of SofS in the context of the Irish child protection and welfare services.
Participants and setting
Review of reports involving three groups of stakeholders (social workers, parents, and children).
Methods
A documentary analysis of early research on SofS within the Irish child protection and welfare services. We conducted a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the reports from three studies commissioned by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) following the implementation of SofS.
Results
SofS empowers social workers and improves relationships lbetween social workers and families. However, SofS also takes more time and energy to use and poses a barrier to good practice in some situations. The complexities of the SofS model combined with heavy workloads, mean there is not always time for social workers to engage with SofS fully. Social workers and clients reported that this negatively impacted their experience.
Conclusion
The findings indicate two contrasting characteristics of the SofS model. It also identifies and analyzes the current Irish evidence base.
{"title":"Benefits, burdens, and complications: A secondary analysis of research on signs of safety with service users and practitioners within the Irish child protection and welfare services","authors":"Matthew Townsend , Donna O'Leary , Sinead Whiting","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100203","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100203","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Signs of Safety (SofS) is a strength-based approach for family intervention. The SofS model has been adopted in many jurisdictions internationally, including Ireland. It is used by social workers to engage with families referred for services due to concerns about child welfare or abuse.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To examine the implementation and use of SofS in the context of the Irish child protection and welfare services.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>Review of reports involving three groups of stakeholders (social workers, parents, and children).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A documentary analysis of early research on SofS within the Irish child protection and welfare services. We conducted a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the reports from three studies commissioned by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) following the implementation of SofS.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SofS empowers social workers and improves relationships lbetween social workers and families. However, SofS also takes more time and energy to use and poses a barrier to good practice in some situations. The complexities of the SofS model combined with heavy workloads, mean there is not always time for social workers to engage with SofS fully. Social workers and clients reported that this negatively impacted their experience.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings indicate two contrasting characteristics of the SofS model. It also identifies and analyzes the current Irish evidence base.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100203"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-07-16DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100211
Tom D. Kennedy, Brittany Plombon, Caroline Haskamp, Bianca Howard, Cammi Shoultz, Danielle Millen, David Detullio, Jennifer Davidtz
Human trafficking has garnered increasing attention and global awareness as a significant violation of fundamental human rights. This modern-day slavery is actively occurring both internationally and in our local communities. The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report outlines the extent and typical services allocated for survivors of human trafficking by country. Additionally, the report details the funding allocated toward prevention and services, as well as the annual efforts of each country's government to meet the minimum standards outlined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA, 2000). This study aimed to examine the chronological growth and decline of specific government efforts to combat human trafficking in countries across North, South, and Central America. Specifically, descriptive differences in trends and services were explored country by country, comparing the narratives provided in 2014 to those offered in the 2018 TIP report. The overall trends indicate that almost two-thirds of the governments of countries in the Americas have remained relatively unchanged in their efforts to comply with the minimum standards of the TVPA (TIP, 2014; TIP, 2018). Only three countries have consistently remained in the top tier (i.e., Canada, the United States of America, and Chile).
{"title":"Human trafficking across the Americas: Victims, services, and the law","authors":"Tom D. Kennedy, Brittany Plombon, Caroline Haskamp, Bianca Howard, Cammi Shoultz, Danielle Millen, David Detullio, Jennifer Davidtz","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human trafficking has garnered increasing attention and global awareness as a significant violation of fundamental human rights. This modern-day slavery is actively occurring both internationally and in our local communities. The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report outlines the extent and typical services allocated for survivors of human trafficking by country. Additionally, the report details the funding allocated toward prevention and services, as well as the annual efforts of each country's government to meet the minimum standards outlined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA, 2000). This study aimed to examine the chronological growth and decline of specific government efforts to combat human trafficking in countries across North, South, and Central America. Specifically, descriptive differences in trends and services were explored country by country, comparing the narratives provided in 2014 to those offered in the 2018 TIP report. The overall trends indicate that almost two-thirds of the governments of countries in the Americas have remained relatively unchanged in their efforts to comply with the minimum standards of the TVPA (TIP, 2014; TIP, 2018). Only three countries have consistently remained in the top tier (i.e., Canada, the United States of America, and Chile).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100211"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144713175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-07-25DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100214
Beatrice Nyakwaka Ogutu
In Kenyan families, the pervasive issue of violence impacts everyone, though it disproportionately affects women and children. While family violence, encompassing both violence against children and intimate partner violence, is indeed preventable, the current intervention landscape is challenging. Traditional parenting programs in Kenya, while numerous and focused on improving general parenting skills and child outcomes through direct instruction and reflection, often have limited impact and fail to address the complex, intersecting forms of family violence and lack a gender transformative approach. Furthermore, many promising programmes in the region remain largely as NGO-led research or pilot projects, rarely reaching the scale necessary to benefit the vast number of families that need them. Despite their proven potential, widespread adaptation and implementation of these programs remains limited. While global adaptation and scaling frameworks, including the widely recognized INSPIRE framework, exist to guide governments and NGOs looking to scale evidence-based violence prevention programs, these frameworks often underplay the dynamic, real-world complexities inherent in achieving true, sustained scale-up. This paper documents the journey of Kenya's Positive Parenting Programme, detailing its evolution from an NGO-led initiative to a nationally adopted and budgeted intervention. It distills findings essential for successful program scaling, offering concrete guidance for governments and practitioners striving to institutionalize gender-transformative parenting programs within national systems. Success with scaling in Kenya required a departure from traditional scaling frameworks, underscoring the critical role of informed gender-based advocacy coupled with strong organizational capacity to leverage support from both government and donors alike.
{"title":"Bruised bodies to open minds: Importance of gender transformative parenting programs in violence prevention and how to make them accessible to all Kenyan parents","authors":"Beatrice Nyakwaka Ogutu","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Kenyan families, the pervasive issue of violence impacts everyone, though it disproportionately affects women and children. While family violence, encompassing both violence against children and intimate partner violence, is indeed preventable, the current intervention landscape is challenging. Traditional parenting programs in Kenya, while numerous and focused on improving general parenting skills and child outcomes through direct instruction and reflection, often have limited impact and fail to address the complex, intersecting forms of family violence and lack a gender transformative approach. Furthermore, many promising programmes in the region remain largely as NGO-led research or pilot projects, rarely reaching the scale necessary to benefit the vast number of families that need them. Despite their proven potential, widespread adaptation and implementation of these programs remains limited. While global adaptation and scaling frameworks, including the widely recognized INSPIRE framework, exist to guide governments and NGOs looking to scale evidence-based violence prevention programs, these frameworks often underplay the dynamic, real-world complexities inherent in achieving true, sustained scale-up. This paper documents the journey of Kenya's Positive Parenting Programme, detailing its evolution from an NGO-led initiative to a nationally adopted and budgeted intervention. It distills findings essential for successful program scaling, offering concrete guidance for governments and practitioners striving to institutionalize gender-transformative parenting programs within national systems. Success with scaling in Kenya required a departure from traditional scaling frameworks, underscoring the critical role of informed gender-based advocacy coupled with strong organizational capacity to leverage support from both government and donors alike.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100214"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144826876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-08-28DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100227
Perla Kaliman , María Jesús Álvarez-López , Marina Lisenberg , María Agustina Acosta , Denise Agostina Simkin , Rocío Martínez-Vivot
Background
Childhood and adolescent mental health is in crisis globally, emphasizing the need for early detection and prevention strategies. Children from marginalized neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable, yet data on their psychological well-being is still limited in Argentina.
Objectives
We aimed to explore mental health characteristics of vulnerable school children and assess the feasibility of a psychological well-being promoting program.
Participants and setting
This study was conducted in a primary school in a disadvantaged neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, involving 35 children aged 11.
Methods
Participants completed validated Spanish versions of scales assessing perceived stress (PSS-14), PTSD symptoms (CPSS), empathy, mindfulness (MAAS-A), and self-compassion (SCS-SF). Sex differences and correlations between scales were explored.
Findings
Significant sex disparities were found in perceived stress, with girls reporting higher scores (p = 0.002). PTSD symptoms were alarmingly high, with 74 % of participants exceeding the clinical cut-off of 16 (girls: mean = 27.48, SD = 9.45; boys: mean = 17.36, SD = 12.76; p = 0.017). Boys scored higher in self-compassion (p = 0.003). Positive correlations were found between stress and PTSD symptoms (r = 0.597, p < 0.001) and between mindfulness and self-compassion (r = 0.439, p = 0.008). Both dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion negatively correlated with perceived stress (r = −0.526, p = 0.001; r = −0.595, p < 0.001, respectively) and PTSD symptoms (r = −0.616, p < 0.001; r = −0.561, p < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion
Our study highlights the significant vulnerability of this population, emphasizing the urgency for early detection and gender- and trauma-sensitive prevention efforts. Notably, our findings suggest that mindfulness and self-compassion training may be key protective components within mental health-promoting interventions for preadolescents.
儿童和青少年心理健康在全球范围内都处于危机之中，这强调了早期发现和预防战略的必要性。来自边缘社区的儿童尤其脆弱，但在阿根廷，关于他们心理健康状况的数据仍然有限。目的探讨弱势学龄儿童的心理健康特征，评估心理健康促进方案的可行性。本研究在阿根廷布宜诺斯艾利斯一个贫困社区的一所小学进行，涉及35名11岁的儿童。方法被试完成了有效的西班牙语版压力感知量表（PSS-14）、PTSD症状量表（CPSS）、共情、正念量表（MAAS-A）和自我同情量表（SCS-SF）。探讨了性别差异和量表之间的相关性。在感知压力方面发现了显著的性别差异，女孩报告的分数更高（p = 0.002）。PTSD症状高得惊人，74%的参与者超过了16的临床临界值（女孩：平均= 27.48,SD = 9.45；男孩：平均= 17.36,SD = 12.76; p = 0.017）。男孩的自我同情得分更高（p = 0.003）。压力与PTSD症状呈正相关（r = 0.597, p < 0.001），正念与自我同情呈正相关（r = 0.439, p = 0.008）。性格正念和自我同情与感知压力（r = - 0.526, p = 0.001; r = - 0.595, p < 0.001）和创伤后应激障碍症状（r = - 0.616, p < 0.001; r = - 0.561, p < 0.001）呈负相关。结论我们的研究突出了这一人群的显著脆弱性，强调了早期发现和性别和创伤敏感预防工作的紧迫性。值得注意的是，我们的研究结果表明，正念和自我同情训练可能是青春期前心理健康促进干预措施中的关键保护成分。
{"title":"Protecting young minds: insights on pre-adolescents' mental health from a school-based study in Argentina","authors":"Perla Kaliman , María Jesús Álvarez-López , Marina Lisenberg , María Agustina Acosta , Denise Agostina Simkin , Rocío Martínez-Vivot","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Childhood and adolescent mental health is in crisis globally, emphasizing the need for early detection and prevention strategies. Children from marginalized neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable, yet data on their psychological well-being is still limited in Argentina.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>We aimed to explore mental health characteristics of vulnerable school children and assess the feasibility of a psychological well-being promoting program.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>This study was conducted in a primary school in a disadvantaged neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, involving 35 children aged 11.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Participants completed validated Spanish versions of scales assessing perceived stress (PSS-14), PTSD symptoms (CPSS), empathy, mindfulness (MAAS-A), and self-compassion (SCS-SF). Sex differences and correlations between scales were explored.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Significant sex disparities were found in perceived stress, with girls reporting higher scores (p = 0.002). PTSD symptoms were alarmingly high, with 74 % of participants exceeding the clinical cut-off of 16 (girls: mean = 27.48, SD = 9.45; boys: mean = 17.36, SD = 12.76; p = 0.017). Boys scored higher in self-compassion (p = 0.003). Positive correlations were found between stress and PTSD symptoms (r = 0.597, p < 0.001) and between mindfulness and self-compassion (r = 0.439, p = 0.008). Both dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion negatively correlated with perceived stress (r = −0.526, p = 0.001; r = −0.595, p < 0.001, respectively) and PTSD symptoms (r = −0.616, p < 0.001; r = −0.561, p < 0.001, respectively).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our study highlights the significant vulnerability of this population, emphasizing the urgency for early detection and gender- and trauma-sensitive prevention efforts. Notably, our findings suggest that mindfulness and self-compassion training may be key protective components within mental health-promoting interventions for preadolescents.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100227"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-07-10DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100207
Gal Friedman-Hauser , Carmit Katz
Background
Children with disabilities (CWD) face a heightened risk of experiencing sexual abuse. Despite the severity and persistence of these cases, they often receive inadequate responses from child protection systems compared to incidents involving non-disabled children. Moreover, recent technological advancements have extended the risk of sexual abuse beyond physical spaces to online environments. This creates an escalated risk and challenges for the protection of CWD.
Objective
This study aims to conduct a qualitative-critical analysis of case reports detailing incidents of online child sexual abuse (OCSA) involving CWD to explore how these cases are documented and addressed.
Participants and setting
The data comprised 25 reports from a hotline in Israel receiving reports of online child sexual abuse of CWD aged 11–17 across Israel.
Methods
Influenced by a critical paradigm, the study utilizes a qualitative methodology to undertake a reflexive thematic analysis of the reports.
Results
The analysis revealed a significant underrepresentation of CWD's voices in the reports, which predominantly reflected parental perspectives. Moreover, the disability aspect was often overlooked, with limited acknowledgment or reference to the child's disability.
Conclusion
The findings underscored the marginalization of CWD in child protection processes. They highlighted the urgent need to integrate disability-specific considerations into post-abuse treatment and intervention, advocating for the inclusion of children's perspectives in reporting and response efforts. Recommendations include enhancing professional training, refining reporting protocols to address disability explicitly, and implementing policy reforms to ensure inclusive support systems. Future research should explore comparative analysis and gather qualitative insights from CWD to enhance intervention strategies effectively.
{"title":"Where is the disability? A critical analysis of case reports of online sexual abuse of children with disabilities","authors":"Gal Friedman-Hauser , Carmit Katz","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Children with disabilities (CWD) face a heightened risk of experiencing sexual abuse. Despite the severity and persistence of these cases, they often receive inadequate responses from child protection systems compared to incidents involving non-disabled children. Moreover, recent technological advancements have extended the risk of sexual abuse beyond physical spaces to online environments. This creates an escalated risk and challenges for the protection of CWD.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to conduct a qualitative-critical analysis of case reports detailing incidents of online child sexual abuse (OCSA) involving CWD to explore how these cases are documented and addressed.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>The data comprised 25 reports from a hotline in Israel receiving reports of online child sexual abuse of CWD aged 11–17 across Israel.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Influenced by a critical paradigm, the study utilizes a qualitative methodology to undertake a reflexive thematic analysis of the reports.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis revealed a significant underrepresentation of CWD's voices in the reports, which predominantly reflected parental perspectives. Moreover, the disability aspect was often overlooked, with limited acknowledgment or reference to the child's disability.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings underscored the marginalization of CWD in child protection processes. They highlighted the urgent need to integrate disability-specific considerations into post-abuse treatment and intervention, advocating for the inclusion of children's perspectives in reporting and response efforts. Recommendations include enhancing professional training, refining reporting protocols to address disability explicitly, and implementing policy reforms to ensure inclusive support systems. Future research should explore comparative analysis and gather qualitative insights from CWD to enhance intervention strategies effectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100207"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144633039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-09-02DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100229
Essi Julin , Timo Harrikari
Background
Children, particularly those involved in child protection measures, are often excluded from the legislative processes that directly affect them.
Objective
The study investigates the types of generational orders constructed during law-making and examines the discourses and subject positions that emerge within this context.
Participants and setting
The data consist of 11 expert interviews, involving 22 experts from diverse backgrounds, including representatives from child protection systems, non-governmental organisations, and various governmental agencies.
Methods
The interviews were analysed using critical discourse analysis, focusing on the generational orders, discourses, modalities, and subject positions that are constructed during the law drafting process.
Results
The analysis identified two dominant discourses regarding children's participation in law-making. The first discourse highlights the exclusion of children and the adult-driven nature of these processes, where children are often treated as mere representatives or tokens. The second discourse emphasises the responsibility of adults to create a secure environment that enables children to participate more fully in the future, recognising them as individuals and citizens.
Conclusions
Professionals working with children in child protection should seek to understand their clients as individuals and provide tailored support to ensure that each child's unique abilities are recognised and utilised. Efforts should also be made to enhance both civic and political engagement among these children and young people. Further research is needed to develop practices that support children in child protection as competent agents and active citizens.
{"title":"Tokens or competent agents? Constructing generational orders in Finnish law-making practice","authors":"Essi Julin , Timo Harrikari","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Children, particularly those involved in child protection measures, are often excluded from the legislative processes that directly affect them.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The study investigates the types of generational orders constructed during law-making and examines the discourses and subject positions that emerge within this context.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>The data consist of 11 expert interviews, involving 22 experts from diverse backgrounds, including representatives from child protection systems, non-governmental organisations, and various governmental agencies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The interviews were analysed using critical discourse analysis, focusing on the generational orders, discourses, modalities, and subject positions that are constructed during the law drafting process.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis identified two dominant discourses regarding children's participation in law-making. The first discourse highlights the exclusion of children and the adult-driven nature of these processes, where children are often treated as mere representatives or tokens. The second discourse emphasises the responsibility of adults to create a secure environment that enables children to participate more fully in the future, recognising them as individuals and citizens.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Professionals working with children in child protection should seek to understand their clients as individuals and provide tailored support to ensure that each child's unique abilities are recognised and utilised. Efforts should also be made to enhance both civic and political engagement among these children and young people. Further research is needed to develop practices that support children in child protection as competent agents and active citizens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100229"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-08-09DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100218
Elekwachi Chimezie Lekwas , Peter Onyekwere Ebigbo , John Eze , Obi Ikechukwu , Doris Chinelo Eyisi
Background
Child abuse is a significant global public health issue, with a high prevalence in Southeast Nigeria. Developing and evaluating screening tools that are sensitive and specific to local conditions is critical.
Objective
The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the ICAST-Home in a sample of children who reside in Southeast Nigeria.
Method
Participants were 127 (53 boys and 74 girls) children drawn from two government secondary schools in Enugu South Local Government, Enugu State, Southeast, Nigeria. Participants ages ranged from 11 to 18 (M = 15.67; SD = 2.07). Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling. Data was collected using a 36-item ICAST-Home version. Descriptive statistics, internal consistencies, independent t-tests and linear regression were used to analyse the data in SPSS version 25.
Results
The findings of the study reported a prevalence rate of 28.76 % for child abuse. The scale yielded a good α ranging from .70 to .92, except for sexual victimisation which had an α of 67. However, the KR20 reported a high internal consistency for the scales. There were significant gender differences in violence exposure and sexual victimisation. The study further showed that boys reported higher violence exposure, girls reported higher sexual victimisation and overall higher child abuse experiences. Older children reported higher psychological victimisation, physical victimisation, sexual victimisation, and overall child abuse experiences.
Conclusion
Findings of the variation in reliability across the different subscales point to possible cultural adaptations that should be done for the ICAST-Home for the Southeast region of Nigeria.
{"title":"Preliminary findings on the psychometric properties of the ICAST-home among children in Southeast Nigeria","authors":"Elekwachi Chimezie Lekwas , Peter Onyekwere Ebigbo , John Eze , Obi Ikechukwu , Doris Chinelo Eyisi","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100218","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100218","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Child abuse is a significant global public health issue, with a high prevalence in Southeast Nigeria. Developing and evaluating screening tools that are sensitive and specific to local conditions is critical.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the ICAST-Home in a sample of children who reside in Southeast Nigeria.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Participants were 127 (53 boys and 74 girls) children drawn from two government secondary schools in Enugu South Local Government, Enugu State, Southeast, Nigeria. Participants ages ranged from 11 to 18 (M = 15.67; SD = 2.07). Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling. Data was collected using a 36-item ICAST-Home version. Descriptive statistics, internal consistencies, independent t-tests and linear regression were used to analyse the data in SPSS version 25.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The findings of the study reported a prevalence rate of 28.76 % for child abuse. The scale yielded a good α ranging from .70 to .92, except for sexual victimisation which had an α of 67. However, the KR20 reported a high internal consistency for the scales. There were significant gender differences in violence exposure and sexual victimisation. The study further showed that boys reported higher violence exposure, girls reported higher sexual victimisation and overall higher child abuse experiences. Older children reported higher psychological victimisation, physical victimisation, sexual victimisation, and overall child abuse experiences.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Findings of the variation in reliability across the different subscales point to possible cultural adaptations that should be done for the ICAST-Home for the Southeast region of Nigeria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100218"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144830831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100216
Eric Anderson , James Alder , Jack Hardwicke
Background
The last few decades have seen increased alarm concerning the dangers of childhood rugby participation, mostly in relation to the well-known problems associated with brain trauma in the sport. There has, however, been little investigation concerning the psychological impact of injuries sustained during compulsory participation in rugby within British schools physical education (PE).
Objective
This research sought to explore experiences of rugby-induced injury as a result of compelled participation in schools PE.
Methods
Qualitative, in-depth interviews with 12 young adults aged 19 to 24 (ten men and two women) who were injured playing schools rugby in PE. All interviewees attest to having not wanting to participate in rugby, and therefore we define the injuries sustained as non-consensual. Interviews explored the cause, nature, and enduring psychological trauma related to these injury events.
Findings
The compulsory, and therefore non-consensual character of the rugby-induced injuries experienced by our participants compounded the harm beyond physical trauma. They reported that the mandatory participation in contact rugby within their school PE classes undermined their ability to cognitively frame their injuries as accidents. These injuries were more appropriately perceived as violations of their bodily autonomy. This perception led to enduring embitterment, as participants resented being forced into the sport. As adults, they have developed a deeper understanding of informed consent, further intensifying psychological impacts and anger towards those they deemed responsible for their injuries.
Conclusions
Findings add to the growing safeguarding concerns over the existence of contact rugby in the British PE curriculum and children's rights, within both educational and sport settings. Two relevant policy changes to protect children are strongly advocated; 1) a greater focus on processes of consent within PE, and 2) the removal of contact rugby from the curriculum on safeguarding grounds.
{"title":"‘It wasn't an accident’: The psychological trauma of non-consensual rugby injuries sustained in physical education","authors":"Eric Anderson , James Alder , Jack Hardwicke","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The last few decades have seen increased alarm concerning the dangers of childhood rugby participation, mostly in relation to the well-known problems associated with brain trauma in the sport. There has, however, been little investigation concerning the psychological impact of injuries sustained during compulsory participation in rugby within British schools physical education (PE).</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This research sought to explore experiences of rugby-induced injury as a result of compelled participation in schools PE.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Qualitative, in-depth interviews with 12 young adults aged 19 to 24 (ten men and two women) who were injured playing schools rugby in PE. All interviewees attest to having not wanting to participate in rugby, and therefore we define the injuries sustained as non-consensual. Interviews explored the cause, nature, and enduring psychological trauma related to these injury events.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The compulsory, and therefore non-consensual character of the rugby-induced injuries experienced by our participants compounded the harm beyond physical trauma. They reported that the mandatory participation in contact rugby within their school PE classes undermined their ability to cognitively frame their injuries as accidents. These injuries were more appropriately perceived as violations of their bodily autonomy. This perception led to enduring embitterment, as participants resented being forced into the sport. As adults, they have developed a deeper understanding of informed consent, further intensifying psychological impacts and anger towards those they deemed responsible for their injuries.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Findings add to the growing safeguarding concerns over the existence of contact rugby in the British PE curriculum and children's rights, within both educational and sport settings. Two relevant policy changes to protect children are strongly advocated; 1) a greater focus on processes of consent within PE, and 2) the removal of contact rugby from the curriculum on safeguarding grounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-13DOI: 10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100194
Nathalie Goubet, Katherine W. Delaney, Allison M. Yurasek, Anna K. Garst, Esther Ekeh, Aleah B. Ellerbee
Background
Poor emotion regulation and low resilience are associated with high stress levels in adults with a history of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Objective
The goal of the current study was to explore the relationship between ACEs and stress level experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the potential mediational effects of current emotion regulation and resilience.
Participants and setting
Two hundred and eight participants, aged 18 to 71 completed online self-report measures assessing retrospectively their stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic and their childhood adversity with the ACEs questionnaire. Current emotion regulation was assessed with the Perth Emotion Regulation Competency Inventory (PERCI) and current resilience was measured with the Connor-Davidson-Risk 25 (CD-25).
Methods
Mediation analyses were used to investigate whether current emotion regulation and resilience mediated the relationship between retrospective ACEs and COVID-19 stress.
Results
Results indicated that a higher number of ACEs was associated with increased stress during the pandemic. Poor emotion regulation (ab = 0.05), in particular poor regulation of negative emotions (ab = 0.10), mediated the relationship between ACEs and COVID-19 stress but resilience was not a significant mediator.
Conclusions
These results highlight the psychological burden of childhood adversity during the COVID-19 pandemic and point to the importance of identifying and treating individuals with childhood trauma.
{"title":"The role of emotion regulation in the relationship between childhood adversity and COVID-19 stress","authors":"Nathalie Goubet, Katherine W. Delaney, Allison M. Yurasek, Anna K. Garst, Esther Ekeh, Aleah B. Ellerbee","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100194","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Poor emotion regulation and low resilience are associated with high stress levels in adults with a history of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The goal of the current study was to explore the relationship between ACEs and stress level experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the potential mediational effects of current emotion regulation and resilience.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>Two hundred and eight participants, aged 18 to 71 completed online self-report measures assessing retrospectively their stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic and their childhood adversity with the ACEs questionnaire. Current emotion regulation was assessed with the Perth Emotion Regulation Competency Inventory (PERCI) and current resilience was measured with the Connor-Davidson-Risk 25 (CD-25).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Mediation analyses were used to investigate whether current emotion regulation and resilience mediated the relationship between retrospective ACEs and COVID-19 stress.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Results indicated that a higher number of ACEs was associated with increased stress during the pandemic. Poor emotion regulation (<em>ab</em> = 0.05), in particular poor regulation of negative emotions (<em>ab</em> = 0.10), mediated the relationship between ACEs and COVID-19 stress but resilience was not a significant mediator.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These results highlight the psychological burden of childhood adversity during the COVID-19 pandemic and point to the importance of identifying and treating individuals with childhood trauma.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100194"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144321876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Child medical neglect is defined as the failure to provide timely healthcare to the child, placing them at risk of harm. Despite Israel's universal health coverage, East Jerusalem (EJ) Palestinian youth and their families face unique socioeconomic realities and inequitable healthcare access that are shaped by the broader socio-political climate and policies that further challenge healthcare provision. Engaging EJ youth in research, as potentially vulnerable to medical neglect and as experts in their lives, fills a current gap in understanding their specific experiences and healthcare needs.
Objective
This qualitative inquiry explored EJ Palestinian youths' perceptions of medical neglect via review and discussion of medical neglect case vignettes.
Participants and setting
Arab-speaking Palestinian youth aged 12 to 14 were recruited from two EJ schools to participate in data collection activities. Data collection was facilitated by the research team in a confidential space within local EJ school libraries.
Methods
We addressed our qualitative research aims via semi-structured focus groups, one each for boys and girls who participated in the study. Both parental consent and youth assent were obtained before youth participation. Open-ended questions for each focus group featured questions about healthcare and medical neglect, youth reflections on three medical neglect vignettes, and healthcare advocacy questions. Discussions were transcribed, translated into English, and subjected to inductive thematic analysis.
Results
A total of 14 youth participated in the study's focus groups, one each for boys and girls (57 %). The youth demonstrated an awareness of their lived environments, socio-political contexts, cultural influences, and rights-based expectations regarding caregiving. The five main themes included perceived severity and chronicity of medical neglect, emotional impact, systemic factors, shared responsibility, and valuing the child's perspective.
Conclusion
EJ youth understand the complex challenges and competing needs within their community. Findings point to the potential role of youth engagement in research related to healthcare systems, particularly in violence-risk living environments. This study encourages further research to amplify youth voices within complex sociopolitical contexts.
{"title":"Understanding medical neglect: Perspectives of Palestinian youth from East Jerusalem","authors":"Mayada Karjawally , Asher Ben-Arieh , Christine Wekerle","doi":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100208","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Child medical neglect is defined as the failure to provide timely healthcare to the child, placing them at risk of harm. Despite Israel's universal health coverage, East Jerusalem (EJ) Palestinian youth and their families face unique socioeconomic realities and inequitable healthcare access that are shaped by the broader socio-political climate and policies that further challenge healthcare provision. Engaging EJ youth in research, as potentially vulnerable to medical neglect and as experts in their lives, fills a current gap in understanding their specific experiences and healthcare needs.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This qualitative inquiry explored EJ Palestinian youths' perceptions of medical neglect via review and discussion of medical neglect case vignettes.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>Arab-speaking Palestinian youth aged 12 to 14 were recruited from two EJ schools to participate in data collection activities. Data collection was facilitated by the research team in a confidential space within local EJ school libraries.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We addressed our qualitative research aims via semi-structured focus groups, one each for boys and girls who participated in the study. Both parental consent and youth assent were obtained before youth participation. Open-ended questions for each focus group featured questions about healthcare and medical neglect, youth reflections on three medical neglect vignettes, and healthcare advocacy questions. Discussions were transcribed, translated into English, and subjected to inductive thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 14 youth participated in the study's focus groups, one each for boys and girls (57 %). The youth demonstrated an awareness of their lived environments, socio-political contexts, cultural influences, and rights-based expectations regarding caregiving. The five main themes included perceived severity and chronicity of medical neglect, emotional impact, systemic factors, shared responsibility, and valuing the child's perspective.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>EJ youth understand the complex challenges and competing needs within their community. Findings point to the potential role of youth engagement in research related to healthcare systems, particularly in violence-risk living environments. This study encourages further research to amplify youth voices within complex sociopolitical contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100237,"journal":{"name":"Child Protection and Practice","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100208"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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