Are we educating the future workforce for interprofessional responses to child maltreatment? An exploratory study

Lines, LE; Kakyo, TA; McLaren, H; Hartz, D; Sivertsen, N; Hutton, A; Cooper, M; Zannettino, L; Grant, J

Are we educating the future workforce for interprofessional responses to child maltreatment? An exploratory study

Lines, LE Kakyo, TA McLaren, H Hartz, D Sivertsen, N Hutton, A Cooper, M Zannettino, L Grant, J

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Collegian, 2025, 32, (6), pp. 371-380
Issue Date:: 2025-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Lines, LE
dc.contributor.author	Kakyo, TA
dc.contributor.author	McLaren, H
dc.contributor.author	Hartz, D
dc.contributor.author	Sivertsen, N
dc.contributor.author	Hutton, A
dc.contributor.author	Cooper, M
dc.contributor.author	Zannettino, L
dc.contributor.author	Grant, J
dc.date.accessioned	2026-02-19T23:24:42Z
dc.date.available	2026-02-19T23:24:42Z
dc.date.issued	2025-12-01
dc.identifier.citation	Collegian, 2025, 32, (6), pp. 371-380
dc.identifier.issn	1322-7696
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193663
dc.description.abstract	Background: Public health responses to child maltreatment enable prevention and early support. Little is known about what education, health, and welfare professionals receive in preparation for collaborative interprofessional responses to preventing and responding to child maltreatment. Aim: This study explored university educators’ perspectives on curriculum for three frontline professions (nursing, midwifery, and social work) in Australia to identify where curriculum incorporated interprofessional public health responses to child maltreatment. Methods: Two-phase interpretive descriptive design; Phase One was a cross-sectional survey and Phase Two involved qualitative interviews. In Phase One, 35 nursing, midwifery, and social work educators participated in an online survey via Qualtrics, and data were analysed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 27. In Phase Two, semistructured interviews were conducted with five educators, and data were analysed thematically. Findings: Less than half (44.1%) of respondents indicated a dedicated topic about child protection within curriculum for nurses, midwives, or social workers, and none incorporated interprofessional prevention and early support. Perceived barriers included over-emphasis on statutory responses and inconsistent disciplinary perspectives. Discussion: Without foundational skills for interprofessional practice, health and welfare professionals cannot effectively respond to child maltreatment, perpetuating its severe and lasting impacts. Further research is needed to explore opportunities for developing and implementing interprofessional education about child maltreatment into preservice curriculum. Conclusion: Further work must identify core knowledge, skills, and values for health and welfare professionals, and how they can be equipped for collaborative prevention and early support for child maltreatment.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Collegian
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.colegn.2025.08.007
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1110 Nursing
dc.subject.classification	Nursing
dc.subject.classification	3901 Curriculum and pedagogy
dc.subject.classification	4204 Midwifery
dc.subject.classification	4205 Nursing
dc.title	Are we educating the future workforce for interprofessional responses to child maltreatment? An exploratory study
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	32
utslib.for	1110 Nursing
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-02-19T23:24:39Z
pubs.issue	6
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	32
utslib.citation.issue	6

Abstract:

Background: Public health responses to child maltreatment enable prevention and early support. Little is known about what education, health, and welfare professionals receive in preparation for collaborative interprofessional responses to preventing and responding to child maltreatment. Aim: This study explored university educators’ perspectives on curriculum for three frontline professions (nursing, midwifery, and social work) in Australia to identify where curriculum incorporated interprofessional public health responses to child maltreatment. Methods: Two-phase interpretive descriptive design; Phase One was a cross-sectional survey and Phase Two involved qualitative interviews. In Phase One, 35 nursing, midwifery, and social work educators participated in an online survey via Qualtrics, and data were analysed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 27. In Phase Two, semistructured interviews were conducted with five educators, and data were analysed thematically. Findings: Less than half (44.1%) of respondents indicated a dedicated topic about child protection within curriculum for nurses, midwives, or social workers, and none incorporated interprofessional prevention and early support. Perceived barriers included over-emphasis on statutory responses and inconsistent disciplinary perspectives. Discussion: Without foundational skills for interprofessional practice, health and welfare professionals cannot effectively respond to child maltreatment, perpetuating its severe and lasting impacts. Further research is needed to explore opportunities for developing and implementing interprofessional education about child maltreatment into preservice curriculum. Conclusion: Further work must identify core knowledge, skills, and values for health and welfare professionals, and how they can be equipped for collaborative prevention and early support for child maltreatment.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193663