Experiences, cooperation and responsibilities of reporting suspicion of child abuse : A qualitative study with three preschool teachers, two preschool directors and one social worker

The purpose of this essay is to find out what experiences three preschool teachers, two preschool directors and a social worker (BSc) from the social service have of reporting suspicion of child abuse done by preschools. What perceptions do these individuals have of each other, what experiences do they have regarding cooperation and how do they perceive their responsibilities regarding filing reports on suspicion of child abuse? This investigation is based on qualitative interviews with open ended questions on the basis of an interview guide. The theoretical approach of the essay lies in the phenomenology philosophy, which revolves around the individual’s experiences and perceptions of a phenomenon. Experience and perception are therefore key concepts of the essay. The conclusion of the results is that the preschool teachers and the preschool directors have positive experiences and views of the social service in general, however, there are some differentiations between the individuals’ perceptions. The social worker has a mixed but positive experience of the preschools. The respondents believe that the cooperation between the preschools and the social service can be improved but also on this point the opinions between individuals differs depending on earlier experiences. When it comes to responsibilities, the preschool teachers and directors are aware of their obligation to report and the social worker is aware of the social service’s obligation to protect and do what is best for the child. The social service cannot do this on their own; they need the general public and the professional groups with obligation to report to notify them on any suspicion or worry