Strengthening the Implementation of Policy and Guidelines on Child Protection in Public Elementary Schools, Division of Batangas City

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The educator has a vital role in identifying, reporting, and preventing child abuse and neglect. First, they have close and consistent contact with children. Second, educators have a professional and legally mandated responsibility for reporting suspected maltreatment. The study was conducted to determine the child protection policies and guidelines in the Division of Batangas City.

METHODS

The study used the descriptive -analytical method-involve describing in detail specific situations using research tools like interviews, surveys, and observations. It focuses on the gathering of mainly verbal data rather than measurements. It is the most appropriate means of evaluating the level of awareness of educators in preventing child abuse and neglect.

RESULTS

Assessment of the Implementation of Child Protection and Guidelines*Child Abuse. Both the school heads and teachers assessed that it was very much implemented the child protection policies and guidelines on monitoring and evaluating of untoward incidents in the school.*Child violence. The school heads rated that it was very much implemented the conduct of home visitation, this rank first among ten items.*Bullying. Writing to parents or guardians were assessed by school heads to be very much implemented. In terms of the assessment of teachers, all of them indicated that procedures of due process in all cases were very much implemented.

The findings of the study will provide education officials with information that is basic to decision-making about the school heads in the division. The value of this study is designed to help educators better understand their legal responsibilities to report suspected child abuse and neglect and to assist them in understanding the child protective services.

DISCUSSIONS

These should be a strong partnership between the school and parents in the full implementation of child protection policies and guidelines. The teachers should have close supervision and concern on the safety of every pupil in the classroom to avoid bullying.

The proposed measures may be shown to DepEd higher officials for their suggestions before it could be disseminated in the field. A similar study may be conducted using other indicators and may include parents as one of the respondents of the study.