Assessing the Implementation of Child Protection Policies in Elementary Schools: Challenges and Best Practices

Strengthening the child protection policy among elementary schools, promote a safer and conducive learning space to learners. However, several news casted on the bullying and violence encountered by victim learners from their classmates, teachers, or other stakeholders. Hence, this study aims to assess the level of implementation of child protection policies in elementary schools, focusing on awareness and understanding, policy implementation and compliance, training and capacity building and school culture and stakeholder engagement, and investigating the challenges and their best practices. Using sequential explanatory research design, from 94 participants, primarily school staffs and teachers, through written interviews and survey questionnaires results indicated that the five constructs were strong in implementation, with Policy Implementation and Compliance yielding the highest mean (M = 4.72, SD = 0.47) and Training and Capacity Building the lowest (M = 4.51, SD = 0.64). Qualitative results identified areas of concern in terms of policy comprehension, resource management, reporting problems, training, and stakeholder relationship issues. Best practices, on the other hand included systematic campaigns, constant monitoring of compliance with the policy, transparent reporting and referral, differential training modalities, and active stakeholder engagement. This study therefore recommends to continue reinforcing Child Protection Policy in Maramag Central Elementary School.