부모의 자녀학대를 발견한 어린이집 보육교직원의 아동학대 신고과정 경험연구

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the experience of childcare center staff in the process of reporting child abuse after identifying parent-to-child abuse.
 Methods The directors and staff at three childcare centers in Seoul, South Korea, who had experience discovering and reporting parent-to-child abuse were interviewed individually. The experience and process of child abuse reporting were analyzed inductively according to the steps of the Grounded Theory of Strauss & Corbin (1998).
 Results The open coding of the childcare center staff experience and process of child abuse reporting resulted in six categories: ‘factors of child abuse reporting’, ‘situational context leading to child abuse reporting’, ‘challenges in child abuse reporting’, ‘reporting of child abuse by childcare center staff', ‘response strategy: internal vs. external’ , ‘result of child abuse reporting’. The axial coding enabled the construction of a paradigm model and a step-by-step reporting process. The selective coding enabled the integration and development of all categories based on the core category of conflict and change.
 Conclusions The process of reporting child abuse by daycare center employees went through stages of shock, anger, conflict, compensation and regret, and change after reporting. Recognizing the significance of reporting to prevent child abuse and the need for institutional devices, this study discussed efficient support measures for mandatory child abuse reporters in the childcare sector.