“Lost in the Sauce”: How Early Childhood Educators Navigate the Process of Reporting Child Sexual Abuse
Abstract
According to ACF (2018) every 9 minutes, Child Protective Services (CPS)
substantiates, or receives evidence of, a claim of child sexual abuse (CSA). Children who
are sexually abused are likely to experience a variety of short- and long-term effects;
including, but not limited to: (i) depression; (ii) anger and/or aggressive behaviors; (iii)
trouble sleeping; (iv) behavior problems; and (v) anxiety (Bernier, Hébert, & CollinVézina, 2013; van der Kolk, 2003). Given that CSA is one of the seven identified ACEs
(Filetti et al., 1998) CSA victims are also likely to experience effects lasting well into
adolescence and adulthood; these effects include, but are not limited to, drug abuse and
suicide.
Researchers have determined that, given their level of access to children, teachers
make ideal detectors and reporters of child sexual abuse (e.g. Smith, 2005). However,
research (e.g. Mathews et al., 2017) has found that there is a tendency to under-report
cases of child maltreatment and neglect to CPS. Given that an estimated 35% of CSA
victims are under the age of 7 (Brilleslijper-Kater, Friedrich, & Corwin, 2004) it is
important to understand the knowledge, beliefs, and experiences of early childhood
educators with respect to CSA.
The following research question, How do early childhood educators navigate the
process of reporting child sexual abuse?, was explored using a constructivist grounded
theory design. The interviews of six teachers, in addition to analytic memos, were code
and led to the emergence of five categories: (i) training; (ii) detection; (iii) consulting;
(iv) reporting; and (v) coping. These categories later emerged into the theoretical stages
iii
of reporting CSA to CPS; which were found to either be experienced: (i) linearly,
meaning the stages have little overlap; or (ii) fluidly, meaning there is overlap between
each, or some, of the five stages. These theoretical stages can be used to: (i) understand
the overall experience of reporting CSA to CPS; and (ii) potentially, to understand why
there is a tendency to under-report cases of CSA, and other forms of child maltreatment,
to CPS. Future research recommendations include replicating this work in other parts of
the country to present a more holistic understanding regarding the training, detection, and
reporting experiences of early childhood educators with respect to CSA, but also other
forms of child maltreatment and neglect.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
child sexual abuse, research, reporting, educators, mandatory reporting
Citation
Cordero, A. J. (2020). “Lost in the Sauce”: How Early Childhood Educators Navigate the Process of Reporting Child Sexual Abuse. Clemson University. All Dissertations. 2632.