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Premature children, unwanted children, illegitimate children, are frequently at risk of
abuse. Following on this, it seems logical to assume, that if the families in which an
unwanted pregnancy results can be identified, steps can be taken long before the child
is born, to eusure that it is guaranteed the right to live, and grow and develop
normally and healthily into a valued and responsible citizen. Doctors and nurses are
in an ideal position to observe how parents react before and after the birth.
The need exists for the institution of various educational programmes which prepare
parents not only for the birth of the child, but also provide education on coping skills
with regard to children, on interaction, as well as on the resources available to help
parents and their children. Although such programmes should be made available to
all parents, special attention should be paid to first time parents, teenage parents,
single parents and those parents judged to be likely to abuse their children.
It is generally acknowledged that schools play a vital part in the lives of all children.
After the family, the school is the next most important institution in the lives of
children, and shares with parents the tasks ofsocialization, education and acculturation
of the children in their care.
Teachers in daily contact with children, are in the best position to detect abuse, not
only obvious physical abuse, but also the other more subtle forms of abuse which may
manifest themselves in withdrawal, aggression, uncontrollability, truancy and low
academic achievement.
The function of the school is to impart knowledge. Ideally it should impart not only
academic knowledge, but also a knowledge of life in general to enable children to
grow mentally and physically and achieve their full potential in any chosen sphere. On
leaving the sheltered domain of the school, children should ideally have an all-round
education to enable them to cope more competently with the sociological and
psychological implications ofan increasingly "hi-tech" society. Unfortunately such goals
are not always met, and the tendency seems to be to concentrate on the cognitive
aspects of development, at the expense of the other, equally important aspects.