# A systemic vulnerability in child protection: the interprofessional gap in abuse and neglect recognition rooted in university curricula

## TL;DR

University curricula for midwifery and education in Türkiye leave future professionals with a significant gap in recognizing child abuse and neglect, especially subtle forms.

## Contribution

The study empirically identifies a curricular-based interprofessional gap in child abuse and neglect awareness among future midwives and educators.

## Key findings

- Future midwives showed significantly lower preparedness to identify child abuse and neglect compared to pre-school education students.
- The awareness gap was most evident for emotional, economic abuse, and neglect dimensions.
- Academic department was the strongest predictor of CAN awareness, surpassing academic progression or prior training.

## Abstract

The integrity of child protection systems, a precondition for social sustainability, is compromised by an ‘interprofessional awareness gap’ among key sentinel professions, particularly within health and education. This study aims to empirically define this gap by comparing the preparedness of two critical future professional cohorts: final-year midwifery and pre-school education students. The objective is to reveal how their distinct university curricula shape foundational awareness of child abuse and neglect (CAN) before they enter professional practice.

Using a causal-comparative design, this study assessed final-year midwifery (n = 246) and pre-school education (n = 115) undergraduates in Türkiye. Two validated psychometric instruments measured awareness across distinct subtypes of abuse and neglect, revealing the multifaceted nature of their understanding.

Findings revealed a significant disparity, with future midwives being less prepared to identify CAN than their education counterparts. This awareness deficit was most pronounced for subtle forms of maltreatment, such as emotional and economic abuse, and all dimensions of neglect. A student’s academic department was the sole significant predictor of awareness, outweighing the influence of academic progression or prior training.

This gap represents a systemic vulnerability cultivated by siloed higher education paradigms. Midwifery’s traditional biomedical curriculum appears insufficient for imparting the holistic, socio-ecological perspective required for effective safeguarding. A paradigm shift toward mandatory Interprofessional Education (IPE) is imperative. Such reform is crucial for forging a shared professional ethos and a common language of risk, thereby creating a truly resilient and sustainable child protection framework.