Professionals’ Digital Training for Child Maltreatment Prevention in the COVID-19 Era: A Pan-European Model

Cristina Crocamo, Bianca Bachi, Riccardo M. Cioni, Henrike Schecke, Irja Nieminen, Lidia Zabłocka-Żytka, Małgorzata Woźniak-Prus, Francesco Bartoli, Ilaria Riboldi, Jane V. Appleton, Sarah Bekaert, Giedre Zlatkute, Emmanuelle Jouet, Giovanni Viganò, Michael Specka, Norbert Scherbaum, Eija Paavilainen, Alexander Baldacchino and Giuseppe Carrà
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Cristina Crocamo: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy
Bianca Bachi: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy
Riccardo M. Cioni: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy
Henrike Schecke: LVR-Hospital Essen, Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstrasse 174, 45147 Essen, Germany
Irja Nieminen: Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
Lidia Zabłocka-Żytka: Department of Psychology, The Maria Grzegorzewska University, Szczęśliwicka 40, 02-353 Warsaw, Poland
Małgorzata Woźniak-Prus: Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Stawki 5/7, 00-183 Warsaw, Poland
Francesco Bartoli: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy
Ilaria Riboldi: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy
Jane V. Appleton: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Jack Straw’s Lane, Oxford OX3 0FL, UK
Sarah Bekaert: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Jack Straw’s Lane, Oxford OX3 0FL, UK
Giedre Zlatkute: School of Medicine University of St Andrews, N Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9TF, UK
Emmanuelle Jouet: Mental Health and Social Sciences Research Laboratory, Groupement Hospitalier Universitaire, Psychiatrie & Neurosciences (GHU-PARIS), 258 Rue Marcadet, Bât N, 2ème étage, 75018 Paris, France
Giovanni Viganò: Synergia s.r.l., Via Settala 8, 20124 Milan, Italy
Michael Specka: LVR-Hospital Essen, Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstrasse 174, 45147 Essen, Germany
Norbert Scherbaum: LVR-Hospital Essen, Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchowstrasse 174, 45147 Essen, Germany
Eija Paavilainen: Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
Alexander Baldacchino: School of Medicine University of St Andrews, N Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9TF, UK
Giuseppe Carrà: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: The responsiveness of professionals working with children and families is of key importance for child maltreatment early identification. However, this might be undermined when multifaceted circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, reduce interdisciplinary educational activities. Thanks to technological developments, digital platforms seem promising in dealing with new challenges for professionals’ training. We examined a digital approach to child maltreatment training through the ERICA project experience (Stopping Child Maltreatment through Pan-European Multiprofessional Training Programme). ERICA has been piloted during the pandemic in seven European centers involving interconnected sectors of professionals working with children and families. The training consisted of interactive modules embedded in a digital learning framework. Different aspects (technology, interaction, and organization) were evaluated and trainers’ feedback on digital features was sought. Technical issues were the main barrier, however, these did not significantly disrupt the training. The trainers perceived reduced interaction between participants, although distinct factors were uncovered as potential favorable mediators. Based on participants’ subjective experiences and perspectives, digital learning frameworks for professionals working with children and families (such as the ERICA model nested in its indispensable adaptation to an e-learning mode) can represent a novel interactive approach to empower trainers and trainees to tackle child maltreatment during critical times such as a pandemic, and as an alternative to more traditional learning frameworks.

Keywords: digital health; e-learning; professionals; child maltreatment; multidisciplinary (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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