Teach

Although you do not work in classrooms on a daily basis, you have a legal and ethical obligation to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect. You also have a professional responsibility to help staff members meet their own legal reporting obligations.

The specific procedures and policies for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect vary across states . This lesson will provide an overview of reporting procedures . Your standard operating procedures related to reporting suspicions of child abuse or neglect should (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013):

• Indicate that all CYP professionals must report any suspicions of child abuse regardless of whether they are on or off duty. This duty cannot under any circumstances be delegated to another individual. Failure to report is a serious violation of the law. CYP professionals who suspect that a child is being exposed to domestic violence must report it as suspected child maltreatment;
• Identify that the CYP management team is responsible for oversight, quality assurance, and monitoring staff in meeting all CAPER requirements. CYP management supports any professional who suspects child abuse to report it to the required entities;
• Clarify that management may not make a report on behalf of the professional, prevent a professional from making a report, or require advanced notification;
• List the specific information that the staff member needs in order to make a report;
• Describe how the report is to be made, including who is to make the report to CPS ;
• List any other program personnel who should be involved or be notified if a report is made (e.g., the program director, commander, headquarters)
• State who will talk with the children or the family after consultation with CPS or when a report is filed;
• Specify who will submit documentation, such as observation notes or anecdotal records, to investigators or other agencies;
• State who will be responsible for monitoring or receiving communication or feedback from CPS once the report has been filed;
• State who is responsible for communicating with the media, if necessary, for cases where a child fatality or a child abuse accusation has been in the press;
• Identify plans for the alternative placement of accused staff while an investigation is taking place;
• Specify support for staff if the accusation of abuse or neglect is unsubstantiated or unfounded;
• Detail support for staff who are requested to testify in court;
• State who will follow up to determine the outcome of the report (if applicable);
• Establish protocol to remove staff from contact with children when required.

The remainder of this lesson will provide general guidelines for reporting procedures. Remember, you will be expected to collaborate with your local authorities including law enforcement and CPS to develop specific procedures for your program. This lesson concludes with information about support and following-up after a report is made.

Making the Report

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you must make a report to local Child Protective Services or law enforcement. You can find out where to call by visiting the Child Welfare Information Gateway’s state reporting numbers website. Call the reporting number relevant to your state and provide the following information:

Call the reporting number relevant to your state and provide the following information:

• Name of victim
• Name and contact information for parents or guardians
• Reasons for suspected abuse or neglect
• Description and location of victim’s physical injuries (if applicable)
• Information freely disclosed by victim
• Current location of victim
• Known information regarding incident or chronology of events

After the Report

Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect can be a stressful event. It is important to mentally prepare yourself for what happens after the call.

In most states, the report will be evaluated by Child Protective Services. If there is enough evidence to warrant an investigation, a caseworker will initiate the investigation. Children, families, and caregivers may be contacted and interviewed. CPS will determine whether the claim is substantiated and whether the child is safe in the home. If the report of abuse involves alleged criminal acts, law enforcement will be contacted, and the investigation will be conducted jointly.

Regardless of where you live or where you work, it is unlikely you will ever hear the results of the report. Confidentiality laws protect the families’ privacy. Also know that it is not uncommon for families to withdraw their child from the program after an allegation of abuse. The report may be the last piece of information you have about a child’s situation, but you should feel confident that you and program staff have fulfilled your responsibilities. If the child and the family remain in your program, your team can continue to help and support the family by focusing on enhancing protective factors in the family and community.

Making a report takes courage, and it is critical that you create a supportive climate that empowers staff to make a report when necessary. Sometimes staff members worry that they could be sued or punished for making a report. This is not the case. All mandated reporters are protected by law. A family cannot sue a mandated reporter for making a report in good faith. Likewise, staff members cannot be retaliated against for making a report in good faith about a suspected incident in your program.

Common Concerns That Prevent Staff Members From Making Reports 

In your role supporting child and youth professionals, you may encounter staff who feel uncertain about making a report of suspected child abuse or neglect. Many hesitate due to common concerns or misconceptions. Below are some of those concerns, along with the facts that can help you guide staff and support them in making a report with confidence.

1. Will my report ruin the family member's career?
Staff members sometimes members sometimes worry that reporting suspected child abuse or neglect might impact a family member's career or get the individual “fired.” This can make staff members hesitant to make a report, but you should know that Child Protective Services want to keep victims of abuse safe. But they also want to help families work through their parenting issues so individuals can develop healthier relationships. Thinking about what happens to the career of a family member has no legal bearing on the requirement to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

2. I don’t want to “turn in” my co-worker.
When a staff member suspects a co-worker or program partner of child abuse or neglect, you might find yourself in an uncomfortable situation. Staff members might fear that they are “turning in” their co-worker, and this is hard. You should remind staff of their responsibility to keep children safe. Staff members are mandated reporters and must report their suspicions. Failure to do so can have devastating consequences for children and for staff. Remind staff members they cannot be retaliated against in the workplace for their report, and you will work with management to make sure they feel comfortable making the report. Talk to someone you trust if you need support.

3. What if I’m wrong, what if it’s not abuse?
Teach staff members that they have a duty to report, even if it is just a suspicion. They are not responsible for investigating the situation. Staff members must report observed abuse/neglect, AND suspicion. It is their role to keep children safe. As a T&CS, you can provide guidance on reporting. Remember, you and staff members do not need to make the call alone. If your supervisor is involved in the abuse/neglect, follow the chain of command to the person above them. The important thing is to make the call, even if it is a suspicion.

4. Will they tell the family I was the one to make the report?
All jurisdictions have provisions in statute to maintain the confidentiality of abuse and neglect records. The identity of the reporter is specifically protected from disclosure to the individual suspected of abuse in 44 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico. This protection is maintained even when other information from the report may be disclosed. Release of the reporter’s identity is allowed in some jurisdictions under specific circumstances or to specific departments or officials, for example, when information is needed for conducting an investigation or family assessment or upon a finding that the reporter knowingly made a false report. In six States, the District of Columbia, and Guam, the reporter can waive confidentiality and give consent to the release of their name.

How Reporting Abuse or Neglect Might Affect Staff Members

Staff members will feel a range of emotions after making a report: frustrated, angry, disappointed, nervous, relieved. All of these emotions are expected. It is your job to make sure they have someone to talk to and to help them deal with the emotions they are feeling. The following video helps explain what staff might experience after a report and how you can help.

Observe

Throughout your career you will observe children for signs of abuse and neglect. You will also observe staff members and their abilities to recognize and report abuse and neglect. You might encounter a variety of perspectives on abuse and neglect. Staff members’ own experiences might influence whether and when they make a report of suspected child abuse and neglect. Think about these issues:

• A staff member who experienced harsh discipline as a child and “turned out fine”
• A staff member who uses harsh discipline with his or her own children
• A staff member who made a report in the past but became discouraged because he or she never saw any results of the report

How do these experiences influence staff members and their reporting? Read these scenarios and think about how you might respond to support the staff member. Remember, in most of the circumstances below, you will need to provide retraining on the guidance or interaction issue.

Reporting child abuse and neglect is never an easy thing to do. It is never comfortable for anyone who must grapple with the idea of a child being in danger. The best we can do, though, is to help staff members feel supported and prepared to take the right steps and protect a child.

Model

Use Active Listening Strategies

When a staff member has a concern about a child, they need to know that they have been heard. The best thing you can do is listen and support reflection. Active listening is a skill staff members can apply to their interactions with children and families. Follow these guidelines:

• Stop and really listen. Eliminate distractions and really listen to what the person is saying. Stop shuffling papers, doodling, checking your email, or filling out paperwork. Focus on the speaker and what they are saying.
• Give feedback. Give the speaker a chance to know you understand what is being said. Occasionally pause and repeat back or paraphrase what the speaker said. You might say, “I heard you say you think Drew is having trouble at home. Is that correct?”
• Ask questions and seek clarification. You might follow up. “It sounds like you are concerned about Drew’s safety. What have you noticed? What has made you worry?”
• Empathize. Try to see the situation from the speaker’s perspective. You might say, “I can tell that was a really scary situation for you” or “I wonder if that was difficult.”

Provide Opportunities to Practice

Being prepared to report child abuse and neglect is a complex and ongoing process. Make sure staff members have continuous training around recognizing, reporting, and preventing child abuse and neglect.  Do more than simply making sure staff attend required training events. Help staff deepen their understanding and application of the ideas. Make sure staff members feel 100% prepared to do what is right. Role play can be a powerful tool. Provide scenarios and work with staff as they identify the signs of possible child abuse or neglect. Role play making a report or getting help. You can find scenarios in the Apply section. Use them at staff meetings or at professional development events to help keep staff members’ skills sharp.

Your Role as a Mandated Reporter

As you learned in Lesson 1, you and all staff in the child and youth programs have a responsibility to report a suspected case of abuse or neglect. It is not your job to identify the abuser. If you suspect abuse or neglect, you need to make a report and allow investigators to determine if abuse or neglect is occurring.

• Observe children for possible signs of abuse or neglect.
• Be familiar with reporting procedures for your state.
• Post reporting procedures your office and ensure they are posted throughout your program.
• Prepare yourself for the call. Be sure you have the correct spelling of the child’s legal name, the address of the child’s parents or guardians, and all the details outlined earlier in this lesson.
• If you suspect abuse or neglect, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). This line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can help you find emergency resources.