Know

There are few professional experiences as stressful as suspecting and reporting child abuse or neglect. Before and after the report, reporters feel a range of emotions. Read these quotes from professionals who have experienced this situation. Reflect on how you might feel and how the staff you work with might feel.

The emotions can be even more complicated when the suspected child abuse or neglect occurs in your own program. The perpetrator may be one of your colleagues or friends. You may be neighbors or attend the same community events. The individual making a report might worry that they will be judged or socially excluded because of the report. Individuals may feel compelled to “cover” for someone they know or like. You all may feel pressure to protect the reputation of your program. All these emotions are natural, but you must help staff members remember their obligation to protect children from harm. As a program leader, you must do all you can to create a climate in which staff members feel safe and supported in making a report.

The stress of this type of event is immense. It can feel overwhelming when you add your own life stressors and those of the staff—child rearing, marital conflict, housing issues, financial concerns. It is important that you take care of yourself and help staff members take care of themselves.

The same protective factors that help families cope with challenges apply to all of us as adults. Let’s explore each of the protective factors and how they might apply to your work with staff members. This material has been adapted from the Preventing Child Maltreatment and Promoting Well-Being: A Network for Action 2013 Resource Guide by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Adult resilience: We all need the ability to cope with the stresses of everyday life. In the context of this course, let’s think about the stresses associated with suspecting and reporting child abuse or neglect. The stress might make a staff member feel less capable of doing their job or less capable of protecting children. The stress may reduce their capacity to cope with the stresses of their own family lives. Each one of us has strengths we can draw upon: faith, flexibility, humor, communication skills, problem-solving skills, mutually supportive caring relationships, or the ability to identify and access outside resources (https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/). We can take the time to make sure we nurture and expand these strengths in ourselves and others. Build some time for fun into your program. Encourage one another.
• Knowledge of child development: It seems obvious, but understanding typical child development is critical for staff members. Unrealistic expectations for children’s behavior are major risk factors for child abuse and neglect. Make sure you help staff know what to expect from the children in your care. When you see unrealistic expectations, step in and counsel staff. In a stressful situation, this knowledge helps staff remain calm, recognize child development in action, and create a teachable moment. You will learn more in the Child Abuse Prevention course.
• Social connections: Research suggests that strong social connections promote health, wellness, and longevity. Help staff members build strong relationships with one another and with families. Plan staff events: celebrations, meals, outings. Spend time getting to know one another and building trust. Also make sure there is some time during the day when staff members can talk to other adults. Make sure everyone gets the breaks they need and that there is time for relaxation and connection at some point each day. This will help you all do your jobs better.
• Concrete supports: We all need tools to help us do our jobs. It is OK—and important—to ask for help when it is needed. You are a resource for the staff members in your program. You know the curriculum or programming, you know the community, you know the families. Provide the supports staff members need when they need it. Maybe they need help planning learning experiences, or maybe they need connected to a disability specialist. Know your staff members and help meet their needs. Also remember that they are not immune to stress outside of work, too. They might be experiencing any number of stressors at home. Seek out and use community resources, whether it’s assistance with filing taxes, finding quality health care, or job assistance for a partner or family member.
• Social and emotional competence of children: This is the foundation of the work we do every day in child and youth programs. This topic is covered in-depth in the Social Emotional Development and Positive Guidance courses. For now, understand your role is to help staff promote healthy relationships, communication skills, and self-expression.

Supervise & Support

Observe Staff for Signs of Stress

Making a report of suspected child abuse and neglect is a stressful event. As a manager, make sure you are aware of the stress your staff members are facing. Be emotionally connected to them. Observe staff members for signs of stress. When you see signs of stress following a report of suspected abuse or neglect, be prepared to help the staff member process their emotions or provide further mental health resources. Stress, regardless of the cause, can make it difficult for staff members to do their jobs well. You will learn more about this in the Child Abuse Prevention course. Staff members who are experiencing stress are at a greater risk of using inappropriate guidance or discipline practices. If a staff member is experiencing stress, you might see the following:

• Changes in mood or behavior. The staff member seems upset, angry, or more quick-tempered than usual.
• Changes in work attendance or attitude. A stressed staff member may stop coming to work, come to work late, or do as little as possible at work.
• Problems with drugs or alcohol.
• Problems sleeping or talking of restlessness.
• Feelings of hopelessness or powerlessness. Staff might say things like, “We’re just spinning our wheels. Nothing’s going to change for this kid.”
• Depression. Staff may lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have changes in appetite, or other symptoms.

When you see these signs, it is important to take action. Talk to the staff member. Help them process the emotions they are feeling. Offer resources and community supports that may benefit the staff member. This can be challenging for you professionally and personally. After all, you are not a trained counselor and no one should expect you to be. You can open lines of communication, though. You can be a kind person to talk to, and you can help staff members feel more confident about their work. Here are additional strategies recommended by the National Association of School Psychologists (2009) to support staff during times of stress:

• Validate the staff members’ current feelings without judging or comparing to your own experiences. Simply say, “It sounds like things are really stressful for you right now.” This can open the conversation. Avoid saying things like, “We’re all stressed out” or “This is the same thing I went through.”
• Provide emotional support. Recognize staff for their hard work. Share positive feedback you hear from families. Simply say “Thank you.”
• Emphasize the need for consistency. Help staff members maintain a consistent schedule and routine in the program. This builds a sense of security and can reduce stress.
• Help staff members focus on positive accomplishments. Encourage staff members to identify at least one positive action each day from a child and from a fellow staff member.
• Provide activities that help staff and children connect with one another. Organize a field day or a social event for the program. Make sure there are staff-only social events, as well, to help prevent burn-out and build camaraderie.
• Help provide directed and realistic expectations. When staff members feel overwhelmed, they tend to try to do too much. This can lead to feelings of frustration and failure. Help them identify 3-5 manageable goals to work towards during the stressful time.

Listen as an expert describes ways in which a Program Manager can create a safe environment for staff members to share concerns and suspicions of child abuse and neglect.

There is a lot you can do to help staff take care of themselves during and after making a report of suspected child abuse or neglect:

• Make sure it is always ok to ask for help. You know your role is to support staff. Make sure they know that, too. Be available for them. Show vulnerability yourself: admit when you don’t know the answer to something. Learn alongside the staff.
• Anticipate stressful events. In the context of suspected child abuse and neglect, the stress rarely ends once the report is made. After a report, staff might be anxious about angry families, damaged relationships, or a child’s safety. You need to know in advance that a range of feelings can occur. Help prepare the staff for “day 1” after a report and every day after. Talk to the staff about what might happen, reflect with them on what they might feel or experience, and role play together how to respond to difficult situations.
• Advocate for staff. You know how hard your staff work every day. Be an advocate for them and their needs. Find the resources that can help them grow and recover from difficult situations.

Use Reflective Supervision Strategies

One way that you can help staff process the emotions of a report is by using reflective supervision strategies. Watch this video to learn more.

According to Zero to Three, an agency that has worked to develop and refine reflective supervision practices, there are three essential components of reflective supervision: reflection, collaboration, and regularity.

Reflection: During reflection supervisors and staff members are able to step back and wonder about the deeper meanings behind their experiences. Staff members have the opportunity to think about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a way that supports their professional growth. Reflection takes place in a conversation or dialog. As reflection relates to suspected child abuse and neglect, a supervisor might review observation notes or anecdotal records together with a staff member. The supervisor can provide a safe place for the staff member to wonder about events.

Collaboration: Collaboration is teamwork. In a collaborative partnership, some power and responsibility is shared. Staff members have a chance to make decisions about their work and their experiences. This collaboration is characterized by trust and honesty. In the context of suspected child abuse and neglect, collaboration within reflective supervision might be characterized by a staff member taking interest in learning how to facilitate family events or requesting a specific space or time to work through issues.

Regularity: Time for reflective supervision must be protected. Staff and supervisors must meet regularly—not just when problems occur. Building trust requires time. In the context of suspected child abuse and neglect, staff members and supervisors must meet regularly so the staff member feels supported they need it.

You can learn more about reflective supervisions practices at https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/three-building-blocks-of-reflective-supervision/.