Annually, millions of children across the United States are exposed to domestic violence on the part of adults. As a result, they are admitted to domestic violence shelters in order to find safety and opportunities for recovery and development. In their research article, Chanmugam et al. (2015) dwell on the issue of education quality in domestic violence shelters. When exposed to an unprecedently high level of stress, children tend to focus less on academic performance due to such factors as poor socialization, constant mobility, lack of parental and educators’ supervision, and mental and behavioral challenges (Chanmugam et al., 2015). Moreover, the factor of homelessness presents an increased risk for low academic performance, with risk factors such as lack of interest, social marginalization, and absenteeism. Thus, there is a need to define the domestic violence shelters’ perspective on the academic performance of their adolescent residents.
Hypothesis
The primary research question of the article may be formulated as follows: How does domestic violence shelter personnel appraise the quality of education provided to the shelter residents? What are the barriers to effective educational patterns among this adolescent group? During the preliminary research on the subject, Chanmugam et al. (2015) established that despite the lack of empirical evidence on the topic, the issues of homelessness and stressful experiences had a certain impact on the students’ perception of education, emotional preparedness to attend classes, self-esteem, and supervision. As a result, the authors assumed that obtaining the shelter personnel’s perspective could present meaningful insights into the reality of education for children exposed to domestic violence at home.
Method
In order to meet the objectives of the research, Chanmugam et al. (2015) needed to reach out to the representatives of emergency domestic violence shelters located in the state of Texas well-aware of the shelters’ and schools’ collaborative effort to provide holistic education to the residents. Having used the information provided in the Texas Council on Family Violence online directory, the scholars sent introductory research invitations to the representatives of every domestic shelter violence in the state (Chanmugam et al., 2015, p. 408). As a result, 55 shelters responded to the participation request. After collecting the participant sample, Chanmugam et al. (2015) sent online survey forms, information about the research, and participation consent forms to the shelter personnel. Using SurveyMonkey software, the authors made sure that data were collected systematically without violating the participants’ privacy.
Design of the Study and Analysis of the Data
The present study is a mixed-methods study that incorporated both qualitative and quantitative approaches to the data analysis. The online survey designed for the participants (N=76, 74% response rate, N=55) included both a multiple-choice question and an open-ended question (Chanmugam et al., 2015). The quantitative question addresses the level of respondents’ satisfaction with the education received by the shelter residents. It was later analyzed with the help of estimating mean and standard deviation analysis of a 5-point Likert scale (Chanmugam et al., 2015). The open-ended question was analyzed using thematic analysis performed by coders. Additionally, quantitative data was collected for the question concerning shelters’ organization, number of beds, and number of children staying on the premises.
Results and Discussion
The quantitative part of the survey completed by the participants indicated a relatively high level of shelter personnel’s satisfaction with the education received by children residing in shelters. The mean satisfaction level among the respondents was 4.38, with almost 50% of the employees (N=27) indicating there were very satisfied (Chanmugam et al., 2015, p. 410). The qualitative part of the questionnaire was completed by 48 respondents, and the open-ended questions led to the identification of some of the most common themes in barriers to providing quality educational services (Chanmugam et al., 2015). These themes included transportation, poor awareness of the McKinney-Vento Act, documentation enrollment delays, and the risks of exposure to violence on the school premises. Apart from the aforementioned challenges, the responses were mostly positive, indicating a proper level of communication and education access (Chanmugam et al., 2015). Hence, the study demonstrates that despite a series of barriers, the overall tendency of educational services for children exposed to domestic violence is optimistic.
Integration
Organizational performance, leadership, and competence are rooted in one’s psychological experiences as a child. Thus, when it comes to the widespread social issue of early exposure to domestic violence, proper attention to children’s education as a process of social integration is critical. The reintroduction of young people to education and social interaction is key to their psychological and organizational performance in the future. For this reason, considering the relevance of domestic violence and homelessness to the US social context, there is a need to introduce new ways to recovery for the affected young people. The present article assists in presenting comprehensive insights into the current patterns of education in this group.
Reaction
This article is an asset in terms of analyzing the lifestyle specifics of children exposed to domestic violence. With millions of children being affected by this issue every year, a significant part of the young population is at risk of temporarily residing in shelter homes. During this stressful time, it is vital to preserve the connections with the outside world and pursue education in order to facilitate one’s mental recovery. Looking into the existing peculiarities of cooperation between domestic violence shelters and educational establishments can help public bodies eliminate barriers to this communication, especially when rural areas are concerned.
Reference
Chanmugam, A., Kemter, A. J., & Goodwin, K. H. (2015). Educational services for children in domestic violence shelters: Perspectives of shelter personnel. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 32(5), 405-415. Web.