Preventative work in schools for children experiencing domestic violence

Research estimate that an average of two children in each school class in Norway are exposed to severe child abuse and neglect. Schools are important arenas for preventing CAN at several levels, both before the emergence of violence and through stopping ongoing violence. This is where children spend the main part of their day. Teachers and school nurses are uniquely positioned to see children’s signs if they are in a difficult situation. However, students training to become teachers feel that they do not receive enough education on this topic to be prepared for future work in their profession and personnel working in schools experience issues of CAN as particularly difficult to manage. Children who have experiences with CAN use different strategies to deal with difficult thoughts, often without help from a teacher. Only one in five children exposed to CAN in Norway has been in contact with the support system.

The primary objective of this study is to generate knowledge, understanding, and experiences from teachers, school leaders, and health nurses about Norwegian primary schools’ preventive work against child abuse and neglect. More specifically: how do professionals in school describe and understand their and other professionals’ roles, responses, and cooperation? Furthermore, what kind of responses and approaches do children victims of child abuse and neglect describe that they need and benefit from being met with at school? Two different qualitative methods will be used to collect data. 

Two different qualitative methods will be used to collect data. We will conduct 2 profession-specific focus groups with 7 teachers and 7 health nurses and focus groups with 14 children aged 8-16, in addition to individual interviews with the same teachers and health nurses, 7 school leaders, and 7 children victims of child abuse and neglect (aged 8-16).

Background:
The project is a public sector Ph.D. in Osloskolen, where the candidate works 75% of the time with research and 25% in the public sector over four years from 2022 to 2026.

Supervisors:
Main supervisor: Carolina Øverlien, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies

Co-supervisor: Thormod Idsøe, the Department of Special Needs Education, UiO

Financing:
The Research Council of Norway

 Utdanningsetaten, City of Oslo 

Cooperation:
 Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies

Utdanningsetaten, City of Oslo

Sofienberg School, Oslo

The Research Council of Norway

University of Oslo, Department of Special Needs Education

Participants:

Linda Holen Moen, Public Doctoral Research Fellow

Carolina Øverlien, Professor, Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies and Stockholm University Department of Social Work

Thormod Idsøe, Professor University of Oslo, Department of Special Needs Education