Abstract：
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic increased the likelihood of child maltreatment and made already difficult circumstances for children and their families much worse. This increased the significance of the child protection system\'s role in responding to child maltreatment and ensuring children\'s rights, including their right to a safe life without violence. Unfortunately, accumulating evidence has indicated that the rates of child maltreatment increased during the pandemic.
OBJECTIVE: The current study sought to identify the gaps within child protection responses in various countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and to discover how we can respond to crises in the future while preserving children\'s rights, including their right to protection from maltreatment.
METHODS: Five focus groups with a total of 47 professionals working with children from various countries were conducted via Zoom and analyzed using a thematic approach.
RESULTS: Three main themes were identified: 1) gaps in policies, 2) gaps in practice, and 3) professionals\' messages to improve policy and practice.
CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes what was missed in child protection policy and practice, highlighting the continuous neglect of children\'s needs and voices within policies, practices and guidelines worldwide during the pandemic. Professionals\' recommendations for policy and practice are also discussed.
OBJECTIVE: The current study sought to identify the gaps within child protection responses in various countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and to discover how we can respond to crises in the future while preserving children\'s rights, including their right to protection from maltreatment.
METHODS: Five focus groups with a total of 47 professionals working with children from various countries were conducted via Zoom and analyzed using a thematic approach.
RESULTS: Three main themes were identified: 1) gaps in policies, 2) gaps in practice, and 3) professionals\' messages to improve policy and practice.
CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes what was missed in child protection policy and practice, highlighting the continuous neglect of children\'s needs and voices within policies, practices and guidelines worldwide during the pandemic. Professionals\' recommendations for policy and practice are also discussed.
摘要：
背景：COVID-19大流行增加了儿童虐待的可能性，并使本已困难的儿童及其家庭的处境更加恶化。这增加了儿童保护系统在应对虐待儿童和确保儿童权利方面的作用的重要性，包括他们享有没有暴力的安全生活的权利。不幸的是,越来越多的证据表明，在大流行期间，虐待儿童的比率有所增加。
目的：当前的研究旨在找出COVID-19大流行期间各国在儿童保护对策方面的差距，并发现我们如何在未来应对危机的同时保护儿童权利，包括保护他们免受虐待的权利.
方法：通过Zoom进行了五个焦点小组，共有47名专业人员与来自不同国家的儿童一起工作，并使用主题方法进行了分析。
结果：确定了三个主要主题：1）政策差距，2)实践中的差距，和3)专业人员改善政策和实践的信息。
结论：这项研究强调了儿童保护政策和实践中的遗漏，强调政策中对儿童需求和声音的持续忽视，大流行期间全世界的做法和指导方针。还讨论了专业人士对政策和实践的建议。
目的：当前的研究旨在找出COVID-19大流行期间各国在儿童保护对策方面的差距，并发现我们如何在未来应对危机的同时保护儿童权利，包括保护他们免受虐待的权利.
方法：通过Zoom进行了五个焦点小组，共有47名专业人员与来自不同国家的儿童一起工作，并使用主题方法进行了分析。
结果：确定了三个主要主题：1）政策差距，2)实践中的差距，和3)专业人员改善政策和实践的信息。
结论：这项研究强调了儿童保护政策和实践中的遗漏，强调政策中对儿童需求和声音的持续忽视，大流行期间全世界的做法和指导方针。还讨论了专业人士对政策和实践的建议。
