The Voice of Early Childhood Educators: Supporting the Social Functioning of Children Exposed To Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract Purpose Children exposed to intimate partner violence are at risk of poor social functioning. While educational settings can be an important support for children experiencing adversity such as IPV, there is limited research focused on understanding the experiences of early childhood educators. The aim of this study was to understand early childhood educators’ experiences and needs when supporting the social functioning of children who have been exposed to IPV. Methods Twelve early childhood educators from the state of Victorian in Australia participated in online semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Key themes identified for children’s social support needs in early childhood education were children’s relational needs, emotional regulation and social support, and providing individualised support and referral pathways. Enablers to educators’ supporting the social functioning of children exposed to IPV included educators’ understanding and empathy for children’s experiences, building relationships and trust with the family, and support services for educators. Barriers to supporting children included systemic challenges, lack of training and consistency between services, family’s reluctance to accept support and cultural competency and biases. Finally, the themes identified for educators’ needs included organisational support, education and training, and resources and clear processes. Conclusions The findings highlighted educators’ need for further training and support when working with children exposed to IPV. This is particularly important given that educators are in a key position to identify and respond to the social needs of children exposed to IPV in early childhood education settings.