Knowledge on Clinical Signs of Child Maltreatment among Childcare Workers: A Survey

Abstract

Objective:

Child maltreatment is a global health concern often underreported, making early detection crucial. Recognizing signs of abuse, especially in childcare settings where attendance rates are high, is pivotal.

Methods

This prospective study using an online survey included 16 hypothetical cases accompanied by a clinical image. Qualtrics was used to distribute the survey. Participation was completely voluntary and anonymous. Childcare workers were asked to give a risk-assessment about the case using a Likert scale.

Results

93 respondents fully completed the questionnaire. The overall mean score on the survey was 67.8% (Std. Deviation 12.0%). In general, the percentage of correct answers on the cases suggestive for child maltreatment (67.8%) and the one not suggestive for child maltreatment (67.9%) were the same. No significant correlation was obtained between the variables ‘gender’, ‘age’, ‘number of children’, ‘number of years of work experience’ and the outcome ‘overall score’. However, there was a positive correlation between previous contact with suspected child maltreatment and an adequate assessment of the situation (p-value 0.005).

Conclusions

The knowledge about physical signs of child maltreatment does not depend on the age or work experience of the childcare worker. However, knowledge could be positively influenced by previous experiences with suspected child maltreatment and additional training on this topic.