Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Heidemann Whitt, Gretchen

Abstract

This research project focuses on educators’ perceptions regarding implementing a child abuse awareness and prevention program in elementary schools. Participants for this project were teachers who were recruited from an elementary school located in Southern California. This project was completed using a qualitative data gathering method. Interviews were conducted and recorded through a video conferencing software program. The data gathered from the interviews was then transcribed and analyzed. The study found that all the participants were in support of implementing a child abuse awareness and prevention program in elementary schools. Concepts related to educator’s perception included their experience reporting child abuse and neglect, level of training, knowledge of existing programs, perception of program effectiveness, and program development were discovered. This study contributes to both micro and macro social work practice and provides insight on the development of a child abuse awareness and prevention program including the type of program believed to be most effective, the persons responsible for developing the program, and the level of acceptance from an educator’s perspective. Initiating at the micro level, the implemented program could eventually evolve to the macro level where it could potentially impact the lives of millions of children and families.

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