Primary school teachers’ experiences of dealing with child protection in Ireland: challenges in responding and reporting

It is understandable, given the amount of time that children spend in school and in the company of their teacher, that teachers play a very important role in the detection and reporting of child abuse concerns. A study undertaken with Irish primary school teachers sought to explore their perspectives on their child protection responsibilities, including responding to and reporting abuse. Twenty‑one teachers participated in a qualitative research study. Of particular interest are the stories of two Home School Community Liaison teachers who, in their role, visited homes and families in the community, which resulted in them witnessing scenes of serious neglect and situations where children’s safety was at risk. The findings of this study emphasise the important role that teachers play in the child protection space and the imperative need to ensure that teachers are adequately prepared for and supported in this all-important aspect of their job. The importance of implementing personal safety skills programmes in schools is also emphasized.