Moral Challenges When Suspecting Abuse and Neglect in School Children: A Mixed Method Study.

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Social Work Ethics
• Educational Administration

Background:

• Child maltreatment is a global concern requiring multi-sectoral approaches.
• School professionals are key in identifying and reporting child abuse, yet a reporting gap exists.
• This gap is linked to moral conflicts during decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand school professionals' experiences reporting suspected child abuse and neglect.
• To explore the moral conflicts encountered in the reporting process.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach involving 32 school professionals (teachers, social workers, nurses, psychologists).
• Data collection through interviews and questionnaires.
• Qualitative content analysis compared with quantitative analysis in a meta-analysis.

Main Results:

• Moral conflicts arise when deciding how to handle a child's situation, balancing the child's best interest, parental relationships, and personal safety.
• Moral sensitivity to potential negative consequences for the child is a primary trigger for these conflicts.
• Despite an open ethical climate, moral sensitivity can paradoxically lead to moral stress.

Conclusions:

• Reporting suspected child abuse involves complex moral conflicts for school professionals.
• Further research into interpersonal dynamics of moral conflict resolution in reporting is needed.
• Addressing moral stress is crucial for effective child protection interventions.