ABU DHABI // A member of staff in each school in the emirate is being trained to become an expert on identifying victims of child abuse.
The initiative is a collaboration between Abu Dhabi Education Council and the Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Centre.
Dr Amer Al Kindi, Adec health and wellness manager, said: “The purpose of the training is to have a person in each school who knows how to identify cases of suspected child abuse, neglect and exploitation and how to report it.
“The main problem with abuse is that it is underreported. Efforts within schools will prevent abuse cases.”
A reporting system will be implemented soon to provide support to children and to monitor incidents of abuse.
“Starting next academic year, a new electronic reporting system will be introduced to all schools in Abu Dhabi. It will be used to manage individual cases, for surveillance and to inform policy and programmes,” Dr Al Kindi said.
“Surveillance will help us determine as a country what most abuse cases are, where, and in which nationalities and genders and communities they occur.”
Dr Mohammed Al Ali, director of the Child Protection Centre, said: “The centre looks at all children in society, regardless of their race and social and economic background.
“There is a great response and continuous communication with nurseries, schools, parents, family members and children themselves.
“The centre receives reports by email or phone calls, either from family members, children or professional caregivers. Those cases will be followed up by specialists and reports will be sent to the social support centre to set up the investigations needed.”
The centre also co-operates with police departments, such as the social support centre, community police, CID, and security media to deal with child abuse cases.
The aim of the programme was to “educate society of the risks that could affect children below the age of 11, for example when sitting in the front seat of a car or when placing parts of their body outside a moving car window. And that is considered as a form of neglect”, he said.
Dr Al Ali said the lack of internet safety standards was another avenue that could lead to abuse against children.
He urged parents to control the privacy settings on social-media platforms, and to watch what their children post to the public.
“Parents should create open communication channels with their children,” Dr Al Ali said.
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
