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Advancing Child Protection Through Respecting Children's Rights: A Shifting Emphasis for School Psychology
Christina Fiorvanti is a PhD Candidate in the School Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is currently completing a psychology internship at the University of North Carolina with a focus on early childhood. Her research and clinical interests include prevention and early intervention for trauma and maltreatment, early childhood mental health consultation, and family–school collaboration, as well as policy work in these areas.
Marla Brassard is Director of Clinical Training and Professor of Psychology and Education in the School Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research focuses on the mental injuries and behavioral problems that result from parental psychological maltreatment and the contextual factors that moderate the effect of maltreatment, particularly the role of schools, teachers, and peer relationships.
Teachers College, Columbia University
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The moral imperative of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, backed by robust empirical findings, leads to the conclusion that the protection of children from violence and neglect and the promotion of their well-being should be major priorities in every society. This article argues that School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice III should be reorganized around a child rights framework. We lay out the scientific foundation for why this change is imperative and describe what is needed to ensure children's protection, empowerment (right to participate and be heard), and freedom from violence. The proposed framework includes efforts to (a) educate all in the school community about child rights; (b) build a mechanism for the discussion of child rights and resolution of rights violations within schools; (c) guarantee children the right to express their views and to participate fully in matters that affect them; (d) impart all school community members with the skills to build positive relationships with one another and teach students how to protect themselves from child abuse and interpersonal violence; (e) ensure that each child has a committed relationship at school to monitor his or her progress and provide support when indicated; and (f) build a positive climate through needs assessments, rights-promoting school policies, and continuous evaluation and improvement. A wide variety of resources for implementing the model are provided.
Received: November 15, 2013; Accepted: September 8, 2014;
