DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTHOR'S TOOLKIT FOR RESEARCHING AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR EARLY RECOGNITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Abstract

Domestic violence against children is a significant public health and social problem with long-term consequences for children's physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development. Exposure to violence during early childhood may adversely affect brain maturation, emotional regulation, learning abilities, interpersonal relationships, and overall quality of life. Consequently, the early recognition of domestic violence is regarded as a fundamental prerequisite for timely intervention, effective child protection, and the prevention of further harm. Healthcare, educational, and social professionals play a crucial role in this process because they are often the first to observe physical, behavioural, or emotional indicators suggesting that a child may be at risk.
The aim of this study was to develop an author-designed instrument for assessing the awareness and readiness of professionals to recognize domestic violence against children in early childhood. The study employed a methodological research design based on a comprehensive review of contemporary scientific literature, international guidelines, evidence-based recommendations, and child protection policies. The development process followed internationally accepted methodological principles for constructing measurement instruments and included defining the measured constructs, identifying the principal dimensions of professional competence, generating assessment items, selecting appropriate response formats, structuring the questionnaire, and preparing the instrument for expert review and subsequent pilot testing.
As a result, an author-designed instrument was developed consisting of four thematic sections assessing socio-demographic and professional characteristics, awareness of domestic violence against children, readiness for early recognition and professional response, and decision-making through practical case scenarios reflecting real-life professional situations. The proposed instrument provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating professional competencies related to the early identification of domestic violence against children. By integrating knowledge assessment, self-reported readiness, and scenario-based decision-making, the instrument enables a multidimensional evaluation of professional preparedness and facilitates the identification of specific educational and training needs.
The developed instrument may serve as a valuable resource for scientific research, professional education, needs assessment, and the evaluation of training programmes designed for healthcare, educational, and social professionals working with young children. In addition, it may contribute to strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and improving the quality of child protection practices by providing standardized data on professionals' preparedness. Future research should focus on expert evaluation, pilot implementation, and psychometric validation to establish the reliability, validity, and practical applicability of the instrument before its wider implementation in research and professional practice.