Mandated Reporting

Mandated Reporting Abuse, Detection and Education Julie Jarrett – Butte County Office of Education Administrator After School Programs and Services

Julie’s Background • California Dental Association • What is P.A.N.D.A. • Published Author • Nationally Recognized Speaker • Past Member of the Sacramento County Forensic Odontology Team

Presentation Outcomes • Participants will become familiar with and understand the California Child Abuse Reporting Law and obtain an understanding of how to comply with the obligations of being a mandated reporter and how best to protect children and families.

Mandated ReportingAbuse, Detection And Education Pre-Test

National Statistics • A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds. • Almost five children die every day as a result of child abuse. Three out of four are under the age of 4. • 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator. 68% are abused by family members. • Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education. • 31% of all women in prison in the U.S. were abused as children. • About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children.

Question #1…What is Child Abuse/Neglect A child is physically injured by other than accidental means A child is subjected to willful cruelty or unjustifiable punishment A child is abused or exploited sexually A child is neglected by a parent or caretaker who fails to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care or supervision

Question #2…What Is A Mandated Reporter? Mandated reporters are those who are required by law to report known or suspected instances of child abuse. This includes a wide variety of jobs (public positions, health care personnel, public protection, and public contact). Specific positions are listed in Penal Code 11165.7.

Question #3…Why Should I Report Child Abuse? Ignoring any problem will not make it go away or get better. In some cases, ignoring child abuse may result in serious injury or even the death of a child. All children have a right to grow up in a safe environment. People who hurt children usually need help to change their behavior.

Question #4…What Will Happen To Me If I Make A Report? Anyone who reports know or suspected child abuse is protected by the law from civil or criminal liability, unless it can be proven the report was false and the person who made the report knew it was false.

Question #5…How Does Child Abuse Get Reported? An initial report is made to the police or sheriff’s department, or the county welfare department.

Question #6…How Do I Know When To Report Child Abuse? Reporting should be done when a person either knows or suspects that a child has been or is in danger of abuse or neglect.

Question #7…What Happens After A Report Is Made? When receiving a report about suspected child abuse or neglect, the social worker or law enforcement officer on duty will speak to the person making the report in order to obtain information about the child. No two reports are handled in exactly the same way. Where it appears that the child is in danger, the response will be immediate.

Question #8…What Does The Social Worker Do? The social worker interviews the child and family to evaluate the situation. The worker’s primary responsibility is the protection of the child. The social worker’s responsibility is to offer services to help reduce the problems of the family and child.

Question #9…What Does The Law Enforcement Officer Do? The officer (or CPS worker) will interview the parent(s) and child and gather information based on the interviews, physical evidence and information from other sources such as medical and school records.

Question #10…I Heard A Rumor That Someone Was Abusing Their Child…Should I File A Report? The standard by which a report should be made is “reasonable suspicion”. Reasonable suspicion means that it is “objectively reasonable for a person to entertain a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a reasonable person in a like position, drawing, when appropriate, on his or her training and experience, to suspect child abuse or neglect”.

Question #11…What Is The Fine Line Between Physical Abuse And Discipline? If the discipline is excessive or forceful enough to leave injuries, physical abuse has occurred.

Question #12…What About Testifying In Court? The majority of cases do not go to trial. When they do, if the person reporting is known, it is important to remember that the testimony may be essential for the protection of the child.

Question #13…May Reports Be Made Anonymously? Persons not legally mandated to report may make anonymous reports. Mandated reporters must identify themselves when making child abuse reports.

Question #14…Once A Report Is Made, Will CPS Tell Me What They Are Doing? Due to the laws of confidentiality, CPS will not share information about their investigation with you. However, if you are a mandated reporter, they will send you general information as to the status of the case, once it is investigated.

Question #15…What Does Reporting Triage Mean? Reporting triage is the accumulation of reports and information gathered over a period of time. All reports are not investigated, however, your report may be the one that triggers the investigation. Example… Report from preschool teacher Report from next door neighbor Report from ASP front line staff person

Question #16…What If More Than One Mandated Reporter Sees An Incident Of Child Abuse, Who Reports It? When two or more persons who are required to report, have joint knowledge of a known or suspected instance of child abuse or neglect, the telephone report may be made by either mandated reporter. A single written report must then be completed by the mandated reporter who made the initial telephone report.

Question #17…Are Volunteers Mandated Reporters of Child Abuse? No! However, in instances where mandated reporters, such as a physician, nurse, or teacher are volunteers, being a mandated reporter supersedes the status of being a volunteer.

Question #18…Where Can I Get A Suspected Child Abuse Reporting Form? They can be printed our from the California Attorney General’s Office online at: http://ag.ca.gov/childabuse/forms.htm Form SS 8572

Question #19…What Is Family Violence? Family violence is not a new phenomenon- It has existed in families since the beginning of time. Violence in the family against children, spouses, and elderly persons became recognized as a social problem by professionals and society at large as people moved closer in proximity to one another and through technological advances. In the past two decades, the general public has become more familiar with family violence through news coverage, highly publicized cases, cover stories, television, movies, You Tube, Facebook and Twitter.

Mandated ReportingAbuse, Detection And Education Pre-Test Answers

WE ALL SHARE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP KEEP CHILDREN SAFE!

Find your own way to make a difference in the life of a child!

Find your light and share it with a child!

It is possible to turn any dark past into a bright future!

Most ImportantlyIt shouldn’t hurt to be a child!

Mandated Reporting