Vidyanand Khandagale

This ICSSR-funded study elucidates a comprehensive school-based intervention strategy designed to mitigate Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) within the Indian educational landscape. Grounded in theoretical frameworks such as the Social-Psychological Model and Intergenerational Transmission Theory, the research interrogates the multidimensional nature of maltreatment-including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse-against a complex backdrop of socio-economic adversity and cultural norms favouring parental dominance. Employing a rigorous mixed-methods approach to assess students, educators, and caregivers, the study exposes a critical prevalence of punitive discipline and a systemic deficit in reporting awareness, necessitating the implementation of the Prevention Programme for Child Abuse and Neglect (PPCAN). Empirical data from the project demonstrates that PPCAN yields statistically significant improvements in awareness and attitudinal shifts, leading the authors to advocate for institutional reforms that integrate legal mechanisms like the POCSO Act (2012) and equip stakeholders with positive disciplinary pedagogies to effectively champion child rights.