How to Prevent Child Abuse in School
Children and young adults spend so much time at school, so it’s imperative that they feel safe while there. Many risks are involved when away from home, which is a safety net for many. You could be bullied so much that it scars you for life, or you could fall off some equipment meant for entertainment. A kid can also be abused at home by those expected to protect them, and it’s up to the teacher to report if they notice something that raises concern.
There are several forms of child abuse.
Emotional and Physical Abuse
A teacher will notice a child is neglected by the way they look. They could always show up dirty and unkempt, unfed, scars, and anxious, showing signs of not being alright. These two could be classic examples of the worst forms of child abuse at home from those supposed to care for the child, and any good educator should report it upon further investigation. The best way to protect the child from those harming them is taking charge immediately, creating an atmosphere where they feel they can trust you enough to say what’s happening at home. You may want to read online sources to learn more about how to help them.
Physically abused kids are easy to spot as they look scared all the time, may not want to go home, and are likely to always look like they need someone they can trust. They may also be a little clingy about the people that protect them or those that accept them unconditionally. Scars are the obvious tell-tale that no one wants to ignore. Emotional abuse shows where a child is neglected, threatened, discriminated against by their primary caregivers. They could vent by showing frustrations that make them hard to deal with, such as aggression and peer bullying.
Sexual Abuse
The obvious thing that comes to mind when someone mentions sexual abuse is when someone is forced to perform sexual acts without their consent. While that is the primary definition, exposing oneself to another indecently is also a form of abuse. It is so sad that we live in a world where harmless kids are exposed to this form of abuse, both at home and even in class. Several essay examples that show this trend to be quite popular, backed by data, make it sadder.
How to Prevent Abuse
Talking to Kids
Most kids do not know they have the right to expression if it is not taught at home. Their caregivers have the mandate to teach them right and wrong and encourage them to speak out when they are being harmed, or something is done against their will, but the teacher will need to step up if that isn’t there. Letting them know when someone has gone too far with them helps establish boundaries that they will remember long after they are done with school.
Encourage them to Talk to you
When kids are encouraged to talk, they open up. You want to refuse any urge to brush their questions off because they could stop talking, and you will never know when they are being abused. You also want to suppress any desire to show disgust or unbelief since most young children would not make up stories for attention. If they say they are going through things that you know to be abnormal, do your research to get to the bottom of it. You may also have to learn to read non-verbal cues where they are probably too afraid to speak out.
Report Changes
Sometimes, you don’t have to let something run its course because its damage could have far-reaching consequences. If you note some changes that are too wild to ignore, you are responsible for reporting to the proper authorities. You could stop emotional and physical damage from escalating to levels that the child may never recover from.
Conclusion
With so many school problems facing institutions, child abuse should not be one of them, but it must be dealt with. Teachers are the primary caregivers when a child is in their care, so any caring educator wants to take some time during the lesson to assess the wellbeing of their charges. If you are keen enough, you could notice abnormal changes easily and help a child in dire need.
