Primary schools in the Netherlands are reporting suspected child abuse more often, with notifications having almost doubled compared with seven years earlier, according to research. Schools have also increasingly sought advice from Safe Home, while stricter reporting rules and more trained staff may have contributed to the rise. The research found that signs of abuse are often known at school, but teachers can struggle for months or years to determine what is happening and when to report it, partly because of limited training and fears about damaging trust or worsening violence at home.

A two-year study by the Dutch Study Centre for Crime and Law Enforcement resulted in a digital toolbox for teachers. It contains new and existing material intended to help schools identify and address possible abuse. The toolbox is now available, and a school group representing about 2,700 pupils said it plans to use it. Safe Home, which receives more than 100,000 notifications and provides more than 100,000 consultations each year, has warned that it can no longer manage the workload; researchers described its role in investigating cases and arranging mandatory assistance as important.