Abstract:
INTRODUCTION: School-based social workers (SWiS) in Aotearoa New Zealand work
alongside teachers and principals to improve child wellbeing. The SWiS experience in
addressing concerns about possible child abuse and neglect (CAN) is under-researched.
METHOD: In the first phase of the project, the authors undertook semi-structured interviews
with 20 SWiS to explore their experiences of how school professionals addressed CAN.
FINDINGS: Some considerable variation in making formal notifications of concerns to the
statutory agency was found. In some schools SWiS made all the notifications, in others none,
and in some schools the process was variable. Stigma associated with child abuse was
reported as a factor in attitudes towards reporting. School-based social workers reported the
need for better education and policy to guide schools to address CAN.
IMPLICATIONS: More joint education is needed to ensure a common knowledge base
and better interprofessional work. There is potential for SWiS to support this work if better
resourced.