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THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN PROTECTING THE CHILD
Child protection has become one of the key issues arising from a 21st century classroom. Child protection is the safeguarding of children from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. Article 19 of the UN convention on the Right of the child provides for the protection of children in and out of the home. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC), a child is any human being under the age of eighteen unless the age of majority is attained earlier under national legislation. The Nigerian National child welfare policy of 1989 defines a child as anybody who is 18 years or below. In 2003, Nigeria adopted the Child Right Act to domesticate the convention on the rights of the child. The act was officially passed into law in 2003 by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Children’s Right Act 2003. Although this law was passed at the Federal level, it is only effective if the state assemblies also codify the law. The Lagos state Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy defines child protection as the process of protecting individual children identified as either or likely to suffer significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect. It involves measures and structures designed to prevent and respond to abuse and neglect. This policy outlines the following forms of abuse; Physical Abuse; this includes acts of violence such as punching, kicking, whipping, beating with an object, choking, smothering, trying to drown, burning intentionally or using or threatening to use a gun, knife or other weapon, regardless of whether or not it resulted in obvious physical or mental injury. It is not focused on the acts of discipline, although many of those perpetrating the violence may be doing so in the name of ‘discipline’. Some children are more susceptible to being maltreated than others. Some require a great deal of care (e.g., premature babies or disabled or developmentally delayed children), and others may be difficult to raise (e.g., hyperactive children, children with behavioral problems). These children would fare well in some families, but not in other families where the burden is too great for the parents to cope with the special needs of these children. Regardless of whether the child has special needs or not, signs of physical abuse often are difficult to interpret with absolute certainty and may be confused with normal childhood injuries, such as bruises. Unlike bruises, abuse directed to the abdomen, back or the head, which are three particularly vulnerable spots, often are undetected because many of the injuries are internal. Children who are being abused may demonstrate a change in behavior. Many become more aggressive, destructive, fearful, or withdrawn. Often, in an effort to avoid the abuse, they will stay away from home as much as possible. They may see school as a safe environment. Some children are abused because their parents have higher expectations of them than the children are able to achieve or because the expectations are developmentally inappropriate. Injuries to the abdomen can cause swelling, tenderness, and vomiting. Injuries to the head may cause swelling in the brain, dizziness, blackouts, retinal detachment, or even death. It also is important for those working with children to be sensitive to comments about severe physical fights between the parents that might indicate the presence of domestic violence. A child who speaks of caretakers who sleep a great deal during normally wakeful hours may be living with substance abusers or individuals suffering from clinical depression. Extremely erratic behavior described by the child on the part of the parent might suggest other types of mental illness. Educators (staff who work with children) must learn to listen “between the lines” as children make comments about their homes. Sometimes this will give vital clues about the conflict with which they are dealing. Sexual Abuse; includes any act that involves forcing or enticing a child to partake in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening. It is not necessary for the child to be aware that the activity is sexual and the apparent consent of the child is irrelevant. Sexual abuse can be, but not limited to;
  1. Contact Abuse; touching breast, genital/anal fondling, masturbation, oral sex, penetrative or non-penetrative contact with the anus or genitals, encouraging the child to perform such acts on the perpetrator or another, involvement of the child in activities for the purpose of pornography, prostitution or pleasure.
  2. Non-Contact Abuse; Exhibition, exposure to pornography or sexual imagery, inappropriate photography or depictions of sexual or suggestive behaviours or comments.
Sexual abuse may take place within the family (referred to as incest), by a parent’s boyfriend or girlfriend, or at the hands of adult caretakers outside the family, for example, a family friend or babysitter. Contrary to the myth of abuse by strangers, these adults are usually known to the child and have a relationship with him or her. The impact of sexual abuse on the child depends upon many factors. The identity of the perpetrator, the amount of force or betrayal involved, the duration of the abuse, and the child’s age and individual personality can affect the way in which the child responds to the abuse. When children know the perpetrator and are not significantly physically harmed, the feelings of betrayal when they recognize that they have experienced abuse may be more disturbing than the abuse itself. Educators should be aware of other indicators of possible sexual abuse, such as children drawing unusual pictures involving children with no mouths or hands or explicit drawings of genitalia or sexual acts. Many are so consumed with the efforts to deal with their conflicts over the abuse that they lack the energy to keep up their studies. Sexually abused children keep the secret not only because the perpetrator may have threatened them, their families, or their pets, but also because they feel they are to blame for their involvement and fear that no one will believe them if they report the abuse. The abuse also may create fear in boys about their sexuality or masculinity. Children who are being or have been sexually abused will sometimes abuse their peers or younger children. This seems to be their way of trying to make sense of the abuse they have received. They have learned sexual stimulation and, therefore, may stimulate themselves or peers. Learning that they often receive attention through sexualized behavior, they may approach adults seductively assuming that this is what all adults want from them. Another more recent phenomenon is the growing sexual abuse of children via the Internet. Children of all ages now have access to computers in schools and libraries. While no one is disputing the use of computers as valuable tools for learning, there is a growing problem of children’s exposure (accidentally or intentionally) to pornography as well as solicitations online from sexual offenders. It may be more difficult to detect the symptoms of sexual abuse in adolescents because of their increased knowledge about sexuality. Yet, teens that exhibit intense promiscuity and self-injurious behavior (e.g., eating disorders or self-mutilation) may be revealing conflicts they feel they cannot handle. In some cases, these internal conflicts are so severe that a victim of sexual abuse contemplates or attempts suicide. Emotional Abuse; any act or omission that results in adverse or impaired psychological, social, intellectual and emotional functioning and development. This can include;
  1. Patterns of isolation, degradation, constant criticism or negative comparison to others. Isolating, corrupting, exploiting or terrorizing a child can also be emotional abuse.
  2. Exposure to family or intimate partner violence.
While emotional abuse most often is observed through behavior, it is possible for children to internalize it so sufficiently as to cause developmental lags, psychosomatic symptoms, and other visible effects, such as speech disorders. While the behavior of emotionally maltreated children may be similar to those who are emotionally disturbed, parental behavior can help to distinguish the two. The parents of an emotionally disturbed child generally accept the existence of a problem. They are usually concerned about the child’s welfare and seek help. The parents of an emotionally maltreated child, however, may blame the child for the problem, may ignore the problem’s existence, may refuse all offers of help, or may be unconcerned about the child’s welfare.   Neglect; Because neglect often leaves no visible scars, it is more likely to go undetected. Neglect is the most common type of maltreatment that children experience and has consequences that are just as serious as physical abuse and it has the potential of seriously impairing the child’s health or development. Living in poverty, in and of itself, does not mean that a child is being neglected. Neglect involves the caregiver’s inattention to the basic needs of a child, such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and supervision. While physical abuse tends to be episodic, neglect tends to be chronic. Forms of Neglect include;   Physical; looking rough and uncared for, dirty, without appropriate clothing, underweight, not providing the necessities of life like a warm place, clothing and food.
  1. Emotional; not providing comfort, attention and love
  2. Neglectful Supervision; leaving children without someone safe looking after them at every point in time.
  3. Medical Neglect; failure to present child for timely immunization, persistent nappy rash or skin disorders or not taking care of their health needs.
  4. Educational or Vocational Neglect; allowing chronic truancy, failure to enroll in school or vocational training centers or inattention to education needs.
The rights of a child must be respected at all times and they include;
  • The right to survival – to life, health, nutrition, name, nationality
  • The right to development – to education, care, leisure, recreation, cultural activities
  • The right to protection – from exploitation, abuse, neglect
  • The right to participation – to expression, information, thought and religion.
  If a child becomes vulnerable or has experienced abuse in any form, it is the duty of the educator to follow the three Rs – Recognize, Respond and Refer to trained personnel usually the school counsellor. As teachers, it’s our duty not only to protect the children under our care, we need to protect ourselves also. Teachers must ensure that children are safeguarded under their care by making sure;
  • Children are protected from maltreatment
  • The classroom environment is free from all forms of impairments to children’s health and development
  • Children are learning in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  • Children are learning skills enabling them to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.
  • Children are valued, listened to and protected
  • Children are in an environment that encourages them to develop a positive image
  • Children are encouraged to develop a sense of independence and autonomy in a way that is appropriate to their age and stage of development
  • Children are provided with a safe and secure environment
  • They share information about child protection and good practices with children, parents, staff and volunteers.
  • They share concerns with relevant agencies and involving parents and children appropriately
  Teachers are key to effective child protection because of their day-to-day contact with individual children during the school terms. Teachers as well as other school staff are particularly well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse, changes in behaviour or failure to develop. Academic performance may be a clue to the presence of child abuse and neglect. This is particularly true when there are sudden or extreme changes in performance. Previously good students who suddenly seem disinterested in school or who are no longer prepared for class may be maltreated. Students who suddenly refuse to change for sport activities may be concealing evidence of beatings. There can be numerous clues suggesting neglect. Some of these factors may affect academic performance, such as children whose broken glasses or torn uniforms have not been replaced. Research also indicates that a child who is physically disabled or developmentally delayed is at a statistically greater risk of child abuse and neglect. In some instances, the disabled child may be viewed as a disappointment, a burden, or proof of the parents’ “failure.” Educators should be sensitive to the particular stresses that having a disabled child can produce in some families. Children whose physical needs and problems are ignored also may experience learning difficulties. Children who are always hungry, who cannot see the blackboard because they need glasses, or who cannot hear the teacher because they need hearing aids, cannot learn well, and this inability to learn will be reflected in academic achievement. Academic difficulties may have a variety of causes as discussed in this book, and the presence of an academic problem does not prove that child abuse or neglect exists. The possibility of child abuse or neglect, however, must be considered along with other possible causes when the problem is assessed. Educators typically are sensitive to children who are “different” (e.g., physically or mentally challenged). That sensitivity should be extended to abused and neglected children, who also may appear to be different. Educators should be alert to children who are hostile and angry, those that effectively alienate all who come in contact with them, or children who may be passive, withdrawn, and uncommunicative. These represent extreme ranges in the expected behaviors and attitudes of abused and neglected children. Additionally, sudden changes in a child’s emotional or psychological well-being may serve as clues to child abuse and neglect. The previously gregarious child who becomes uncommunicative and withdrawn might be concealing maltreatment.
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