Train school health teams to detect child abuse, urge experts

Recent cases of sexual abuse uncovered during routine school health visits in Johor have prompted child rights advocates to urge experts to train health teams better to detect and respond to child abuse. While these teams could play a larger role in identifying abuse, they are currently designed for health surveillance rather than formal screening.

Dr Amar-Singh HSS, a consultant paediatrician and activist, noted that routine school health visits primarily focus on physical health assessments, immunisation, and general wellbeing. To effectively identify children who have experienced sexual abuse, he suggested implementing a screening tool or student self-report questionnaires.

Furthermore, health teams must be equipped with the necessary skills to handle disclosures sensitively and professionally. This includes being trauma-informed, maintaining confidentiality, actively listening to children's concerns, and avoiding judgment or cultural and religious biases. A crucial aspect of this process is building trust with children, so they feel comfortable disclosing abuse.

Hartini Zainudin, founder of Yayasan Chow Kit and child advocate, emphasized the importance of creating private disclosure opportunities outside of schools, such as through mobile or community health posts, child helplines, safe spaces run by NGOs, and trained community volunteers. The key elements in these approaches are privacy, routine, and an adult who is not involved in the child's home dynamics.