Does Training Make a Difference? Evaluating a Targeted Child Abuse and Neglect Education Program on Teachers’ Awareness

This study examined the effect of a psycho-education program on the awareness levels of teachers regarding child abuse and neglect. The study was conducted with teachers working in regions characterized by the presence of at-risk groups. Within the scope of the study, 18 teachers were assigned to the experimental group and 18 teachers to the control group. The experimental group participated in a structured psycho-education program on child abuse and neglect, while no intervention was implemented for the control group. Prior to the intervention, pre-test measurements were conducted using the Child Abuse Awareness Scale for both groups. The psycho-education program consisted of 10 weekly online sessions, each lasting approximately 100–120 min. The findings revealed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group compared with the control group, indicating the effectiveness of the psycho-education program in increasing teachers’ awareness levels. The results suggest that such training programs may play an important role in enhancing teachers’ knowledge and awareness of child abuse and neglect, particularly in recognizing signs of abuse and understanding reporting procedures.