The Development of a Screening Tool for Childcare Professionals to Detect and Refer Infant and Toddler Maltreatment and Trauma: A Tale of Four Countries

Abstract: Child maltreatment is considered a pressing social question, compromising the present and future mental and physical health of one in four children in Europe. While children younger than three years of age are especially vulnerable, few screening instruments are available for the detection of risk in this age group. The purpose of this research was to develop a screening tool for childcare professionals working in public and private daycare settings to support them in the early identification and referral of infants and toddlers exposed to emotional and physical abuse and neglect by primary caregivers, to be used in different settings across four European countries: Belgium, Italy, Latvia, and Hungary. Method: A stratified process was used to create the screening tool: We started by using Living lab methodology to co-create the screening tool with its final users, which was followed by testing the tool with a total of 120 childcare professionals from the four participating countries. Results: During the Living Lab phase, a screening tool with three layers was developed. The initial layer includes five “red flags” that signal particular concern and require immediate action. The second layer is a quick screener with twelve items focused on four areas: neglect of basic needs, delays in development, unusual behaviors, and interaction with caregivers. The third layer is an in-depth questionnaire that aids in formalizing a thorough observation of twenty-five items within the same four areas as the quick screener. After a one-day training session, 120 childcare professionals caring for children aged 0–3 from four countries assessed the screening tool and their overall training experience. Childcare professionals reported great satisfaction with the three-layered structure, which made the tool versatile, and agreed on its content, which was considered helpful in the daycare setting for the regular evaluation of the behavior of children and their primary caregivers, thus improving the early observation of change from the normal behavior of the infant or toddler. Conclusion: The three-layered screening tool was reported as feasible, practical, and with great content validity by childcare professionals working in four European countries

The action of center "Marta" to prevent the sexual exploitation of women

Sieviešu seksuālā ekspluatācija ir viens no cilvēku tirdzniecības veidiem, kurš skar tūkstošiem upuru ik gadu. Būtiska ir seksuālās ekspluatācijas novēršana pirms paša nozieguma notikšanas jeb prevence. Latvijā gan potenciālajiem, gan esošajiem upuriem palīdzību sniedz centrs MARTA, kurš sniedz atbalstu sievietēm, kuras varētu nokļūt seksuālās ekspluatācijas gūstā, kā arī veic dažādas informatīvas kampaņās, šādi informējot plašāku sabiedrību par fenomena eksistenci. Pētījuma mērķis ir noskaidrot, kāda ir centra MARTA darbība sieviešu seksuālās ekspluatācijas prevencijā. Lai sasniegtu pētījuma mērķi, tika izvirzīti trīs pētnieciskie jautājumi, kuri ir par centra MARTA rīcībspēju sieviešu seksuālās ekspluatācijas prevencijā, preventīvo metožu pielietojumu un preventīvās darbības ietekmējošajiem faktoriem. Pētījuma teorētiskā bāze ir aģentu tīkla teorija, rīcībspējas analīzes pieeja un organizāciju teorija. Pētījumā tika veiktas sešas daļēji strukturētas intervijas. Pētījuma rezultāti atklāj, ka centram MARTA piemīt rīcībspēja veikt sieviešu seksuālās ekspluatācijas preventīvas darbības, bet pastāv faktori, kuri var ietekmēt to.The sexual exploitation of women is one of the types of human trafficking which harms thousands of victims each year. It is important to prevent the sexual exploitation before the crime itself has happened. In Latvia, the NGO that helps the potential victims and victims of sexual exploitation is center MARTA. It gives support to women, which potentially could get trapped in sexual exploitation. It is making different types of informative campaigns, by doing so, it is informing broader part of the society about the existence of the phenomenon. The goal of this research is to find out what actions center MARTA takes to prevent sexual exploitation of women. To reach the goal three research questions are put forward that are related to the capability of center MARTA to take preventative actions regarding the sexual exploitation of women, the use of preventative actions and the factors that can influence the preventative actions. The theoretical base of the study is actor-network theory, capability approach and organization theory. In the research six semi – structured interviews were conducted. The results of the research shows, that center MARTA does have capability to take preventative actions in order to stop sexual exploitation of women, but there are some factors, that can influence it

The action of center "Marta" to prevent the sexual exploitation of women

Sieviešu seksuālā ekspluatācija ir viens no cilvēku tirdzniecības veidiem, kurš skar tūkstošiem upuru ik gadu. Būtiska ir seksuālās ekspluatācijas novēršana pirms paša nozieguma notikšanas jeb prevence. Latvijā gan potenciālajiem, gan esošajiem upuriem palīdzību sniedz centrs MARTA, kurš sniedz atbalstu sievietēm, kuras varētu nokļūt seksuālās ekspluatācijas gūstā, kā arī veic dažādas informatīvas kampaņās, šādi informējot plašāku sabiedrību par fenomena eksistenci. Pētījuma mērķis ir noskaidrot, kāda ir centra MARTA darbība sieviešu seksuālās ekspluatācijas prevencijā. Lai sasniegtu pētījuma mērķi, tika izvirzīti trīs pētnieciskie jautājumi, kuri ir par centra MARTA rīcībspēju sieviešu seksuālās ekspluatācijas prevencijā, preventīvo metožu pielietojumu un preventīvās darbības ietekmējošajiem faktoriem. Pētījuma teorētiskā bāze ir aģentu tīkla teorija, rīcībspējas analīzes pieeja un organizāciju teorija. Pētījumā tika veiktas sešas daļēji strukturētas intervijas. Pētījuma rezultāti atklāj, ka centram MARTA piemīt rīcībspēja veikt sieviešu seksuālās ekspluatācijas preventīvas darbības, bet pastāv faktori, kuri var ietekmēt to.The sexual exploitation of women is one of the types of human trafficking which harms thousands of victims each year. It is important to prevent the sexual exploitation before the crime itself has happened. In Latvia, the NGO that helps the potential victims and victims of sexual exploitation is center MARTA. It gives support to women, which potentially could get trapped in sexual exploitation. It is making different types of informative campaigns, by doing so, it is informing broader part of the society about the existence of the phenomenon. The goal of this research is to find out what actions center MARTA takes to prevent sexual exploitation of women. To reach the goal three research questions are put forward that are related to the capability of center MARTA to take preventative actions regarding the sexual exploitation of women, the use of preventative actions and the factors that can influence the preventative actions. The theoretical base of the study is actor-network theory, capability approach and organization theory. In the research six semi – structured interviews were conducted. The results of the research shows, that center MARTA does have capability to take preventative actions in order to stop sexual exploitation of women, but there are some factors, that can influence it