Parental Violence Against Educators: Recognition, Response and Legal Protection

Maja Podlesnik

Summary:  Violence is a phenomenon that has existed throughout history in various forms and manifestations, although its conceptualisation has changed over time, including in the context of education and care. While numerous studies focus on violence among children (i.e., peer violence) or violence perpetrated by adults against children, violence committed by parents against preschool teachers remains underexplored. Given that preschool teachers interact with parents on a daily basis, it is essential that they can recognise different forms of violence and respond to them appropriately. Analyses of existing research indicate that educators most frequently encounter verbal forms of violence from parents, highlighting the need for awareness of the various types of violence, possible response strategies and the legislative frameworks that protect staff when violence occurs. The empirical part of the study was based on a workshop comprising several structured activities through which written and oral materials were collected. The materials were subsequently analysed and interpreted in relation to the theoretical framework. The findings indicate that the participating preschool teachers conceptualise violence in diverse ways and most commonly encounter verbal, particularly relational, forms of violence in their work environment. They identified activities involving direct and isolated contact with parents as those carrying the highest risk for violent incidents. Furthermore, the participants reported being familiar with the basic legal framework, though less so with the internal institutional documents regulating procedures in cases of violence. When confronted with violence, they most frequently respond passively and experience the greatest difficulty with assertive forms of responding.