Queensland College of Teachers annual lecture 2010 : child protection

Abstract

Teachers have a crucial role as “sentinels” for children who have been abused or neglected. This professional development session will provide a framework for understanding the types, incidence and causes of child abuse and neglect, and teachers’ role in reporting suspected cases. The session will provide participants with knowledge and skills to enable them to identify warning signs and indicators of child abuse and neglect, know the basis of their duties to report suspected cases of abuse and neglect, and respond to the needs of abused and neglected children at school.

The presentation will focus on:

• the reasons why child abuse and neglect can occur;
• the different types of child abuse and neglect and their effects on children;
• the warning signs and indicators of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect;
• applying knowledge of indicators to make judgements about risk of harm;
• responding to indications of risk of harm, including complying with legislative and policy-based duties to report suspected child abuse and neglect.