'School was just a nightmare': childhood abuse and neglect and school experiences

This paper examines the experiences at school of a group of respondents who had been subject to abuse and neglect during their childhood and adolescence. A qualitative research approach, utilizing in-depth interviews, was used to explore their perspectives and insights in relation to their experiences. The findings of this study show how the various forms of abuse and neglect experienced in their families had consequences for them in the school setting. A further important finding was a lack of professional student welfare support for the interviewees at school. Implications for prevention and intervention approaches in relation to both policy and service delivery are outlined.