Professionals’ Digital Training for Child Maltreatment Prevention in the COVID-19 Era: A Pan-European Model

Abstract

The responsiveness of professionals working with children and families is of key importance for child maltreatment early identification. However, this might be undermined when multifaceted circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, reduce interdisciplinary educational activities. Thanks to technological developments, digital platforms seem promising in dealing with new challenges for professionals’ training. We examined a digital approach to child maltreatment training through the ERICA project experience (Stopping Child Maltreatment through Pan-European Multiprofessional Training Programme). ERICA has been piloted during the pandemic in seven European centers involving interconnected sectors of professionals working with children and families. The training consisted of interactive modules embedded in a digital learning framework. Different aspects (technology, interaction, and organization) were evaluated and trainers’ feedback on digital features was sought. Technical issues were the main barrier, however, these did not significantly disrupt the training. The trainers perceived reduced interaction between participants, although distinct factors were uncovered as potential favorable mediators. Based on participants’ subjective experiences and perspectives, digital learning frameworks for professionals working with children and families (such as the ERICA model nested in its indispensable adaptation to an e-learning mode) can represent a novel interactive approach to empower trainers and trainees to tackle child maltreatment during critical times such as a pandemic, and as an alternative to more traditional learning frameworks.

Family Needs Checklist: Development of a Mobile Application for Parents with Children to Assess the Risk for Child Maltreatment

“…It is recognized that cultural differences exist between countries and continents regarding which parental acts are regarded as abusive or neglectful [ 63 ]. This issue appeared while the content of the instrument was developed [ 76 ]. In addition, the differences were seen, for example, in the cultural ways to express the factual content of the statements which varied from forthright to a softer style of speaking.…”

“…Phase two involved receiving feedback on the wording and design from the trainees and experts who attended the ERICA project. Further details are available elsewhere [ 31 , 76 ]. The checklist was reviewed by trainees and/or experts in the ERICA training cohorts 1 and 2 that were held between December 2020 and May 2021.…”

A Pan-European Review of Good Practices in Early Intervention Safeguarding Practice with Children, Young People and Families: Evidence Gathering to Inform a Multi-disciplinary Training Programme (the ERICA Project) in Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect in Seven European Countries

“…Evaluation of this aspect of the training showed this approach to be effective. In a separate paper, the digital approach to the ERICA training was shown to be an acceptable, interactive and alternative approach to training regarding child maltreatment during critical times such as a pandemic (Crocamo et al, 2022 ). There would also be reflective space within the training to explore and discuss the impact of COVID-19 on participating practitioners’ experience of child maltreatment prevention practice.…”

Digital mental health interventions for anxiety and depressive symptoms in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

“…Therefore, relevant strategies should include social media-based mental health support tools as essential surveillance approaches, taking into account privacy and boundary regulation mechanisms to sustain healthy behaviours. 69---71 Also, the current favourable conditions for the design of digital strategies 72 and the related promising role of recently developed digital mental health interventions, both suggest the importance of making digital approaches more available in routine care and not only in response to the COVID-19 crisis. 73 The findings of this systematic review should be interpreted with caution considering some limitations.…”