Search

When the author was adviser to the Australian Minister for Education for writing the national Safe Schools Framework (2003), meetings were held with early-childhood care and education administrators from all state, Catholic and independent sectors. Their unexpected message was that educators were facing new problems, those of child sexual abuse in early-childhood settings including pupils forcing younger children to provide oral sex. In January 2013, the South Australian Minister for Education lost her position following well-publicised parental anger that the Education Department had concealed the sexual abuse of children in early-childhood centres and schools. Parental outrage led to a Royal Commission and "Report of Independent Education Inquiry" (2013) conducted by former Justice Bruce Debelle QC. Public dissatisfaction with some aspects of the Commission led further to a Parliamentary Select Committee Inquiry (February 2014) "Matters Relating to the Independent Education Inquiry."

Prior to attending seminars on child abuse and domestic violence, 86 kindergarten and 64 special education (early childhood) teachers completed a questionnaire seeking views relating to the accuracy of statements relating to all forms of child abuse. This was designed to identify the accuracy of teachers' knowledge of child abuse and neglect versus the influence of universal myths. Results show that special education teachers were less well informed than kindergarten teachers on child protection issues despite international recognition that children with disabilities are the most vulnerable to abuse of all kinds. The results of this survey will be valuable for the Singapore Government's plan to provide preservice and inservice education relating to family violence and child abuse. It is part of a larger project.

Interviewed 311 four- to 9-year-olds of various cultures to explore how they perceived and experienced activities, roles, responsibilities, and relationships with peers and teachers in school. Found that school created conflict in terms of competing demands of pleasing teachers versus pleasing oneself. Liking school was associated with enjoying literacy. Gender differences were most marked at age 5. (KB)

Presents case studies of two children of four and five years who had experienced sexual abuse. Discusses the significance of their drawings in relation to the uncovering and treating of the trauma of sexual abuse. (RJC)

Parents of 565 children aged 3-12 years were interviewed to find out what the parents told their children to protect them from sexual molestation. Three quarters of the parents told their children nothing, and most parents who thought they had given information had only given hints. (RJC)