School social workers, school counselors and school psychologists often have a significant role in promoting personal safety and welfare of children because working with children is a key aspect of their job.
Prevention of child sexual abuse is one of those areas where school Social Workers, school counselors and school psychologists can have a significant role because:
- Most children often do not like to discuss concerns and/or incidents of abuse with family members because they don’t believe that they will be taken seriously
- Most abusers are typically members of or close friends of the family, and therefore, children do not feel safe discussing this at home or with a family member
- School Social Workers, school counselors and school psychologists or other school staff such as nurses, can be in regular contact with children, and are often viewed by children as trusted adults outside the home/family
- All of these school staff members are generally mandated reporters – and therefore, concerns and/or incidents of abuse will typically reach the appropriate authorities
- School Social Workers, school counselors and school psychologists are professionally trained individuals who are able to discuss topics of this nature appropriately with children or are able to refer them to appropriate professionals
- Many of our systems such as child protective services or law enforcement are more likely to respond to a concern brought in by a school staff member rather than an ordinary citizen