The Responsibilities of School Employees in Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect

Raising healthy generations is possible firstly through a healthy children and child maltreatment is an issue that prevents it. The weight of the evidence from the research suggests that exposure to child abuse and neglect can affect the lifetime of the child, and it can lead to medical, psychological and behavioral disorders including: mental health problems, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, suicidal behaviors and self-harm. Considering that children spend time even longer in school more than in the family, it behooves the schools to intervention studies in child abuse and neglect. Also, the school environment may be a protective factor and a risk factor for child abuse and neglect. Therefore, in this study the prevention and intervention of child abuse and neglect and what needs to be done in the school environment are discussed in terms of the employees of the school (school administrators, teachers and school counselor), and it has been evaluated in light of the relevant literature. It is believed that the proposed educational and legal regulations in this study will improve the effectiveness of educational activities for children at-risk, creating a safer school climate and improving the child protection system in Turkey