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Mandated Reporting
Each State has laws requiring certain people to report concerns of child abuse and neglect. While some States require all people to report their concerns, many States identify specific professionals as mandated reporters; these often include social workers, medical and mental health professionals, teachers, and child care providers. Specific procedures are usually established for mandated reporters to make referrals to child protective services.
Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect | |
Series Title: | State Statutes |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 493KB) |
Year Published: | 2012 - 59 pages |
Discusses laws that designate the groups of professionals that are required to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. Reporting by other persons, the standards for making a report, and confidentiality of reports also are discussed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included. |
Mandatory Reporting Resources for Professionals
State Guides and Manuals Search.
Lists State publications on the topic of mandatory reporting.
Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect | |
Series Title: | State Statutes |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 290KB) |
Year Published: | 2012 - 19 pages |
Discusses laws that require members of the clergy to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. The issue of whether a member of the clergy can claim privileged communications as a reason for not reporting also is discussed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included. |
Clinicians' Description of Factors Influencing Their Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse: Report of the Child Abuse Reporting Experience Study Research Group
Jones, Flaherty, Binns, Price, Slora, Abney, et al.
Pediatrics, 122(2), 2008
Using data from the Child Abuse Reporting Experience Study, four themes are identified regarding clinicians' reporting decisions: familiarity with family, reference to elements of the case history, use of resources, and perception of expected outcomes of reporting the suspected abuse and neglect. The article includes recommendations and data from the study.
Forensic Evaluations and Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse
Kapoor & Zonana
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 38(1), 2010
Explains complications that can result when psychiatrists work in a forensic setting. The article reviews statutes across States, outlines arguments for and against reporting, reviews solutions, and suggests recommendations for negotiating this dilemma.
Penalties for Failure to Report and False Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect | |
Series Title: | State Statutes |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 296KB) |
Year Published: | 2012 - 22 pages |
Discusses laws that impose penalties, in the form of either fines of jail time or both, on mandatory reporters who fail to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect as required by the reporting laws. State laws also may impose penalties on any person who knowingly makes a false report of abuse or neglect. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included. |
The Role of Educators in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect | |
Author(s): | Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, Caliber Associates. Crosson-Tower |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 3,890KB) |
Year Published: | 2003 - 85 pages |
This manual, designed to examine the roles that teachers, school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, special education professionals, administrators, and other school personnel have in helping maltreated children, provides the basis for the involvement of educators in combating the problem of child abuse and neglect. It also may be used by other professionals involved in child abuse and neglect interventions, such as child protective services, mental health, law enforcement, health care, and early childhood professionals, to gain a better understanding of the role of educators in child protection. Specifically, this manual addresses the following topics: Identifying reasons why educators ... |
The Role of First Responders in Child Maltreatment Cases: Disaster and Nondisaster Situations | |
Author(s): | Office on Child Abuse and Neglect Cage, Salus |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 2,205KB) |
Year Published: | 2010 - 158 pages |
This manual is for professionals, such as emergency medical technicians, child protective services caseworkers, and law enforcement officers, who have the primary responsibility for the initial on-scene response to situations in which child abuse or neglect may have occurred. The manual describes the various types of child maltreatment and the signs that may indicate that maltreatment has occurred, provides an overview of the initial response and investigation in cases of suspected maltreatment, explains how first responders should prepare for and provide testimony in court for maltreatment cases, and outlines how first responders and their agencies can respond to child maltreatment ... |
The Role of Professional Child Care Providers in Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect | |
Author(s): | Office on Child Abuse and Neglect Karageorge, Kendall |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 1,729KB) |
Year Published: | 2008 - 111 pages |
This manual provides information on the roles and responsibilities of child care providers in preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect within and outside early childhood programs. It also presents an overview of prevention efforts, reporting laws, caring for maltreated children, and ways to support parents and professionals who work with families. |
Teachers' Responsibilities When Adolescent Abuse and Neglect Are Suspected (PDF - 120 KB)
Smith & Lambie
Middle School Journal, 2005
A resource for middle level educators providing pragmatic guidelines and information to assist them in making appropriate ethical and legal decisions when working with victims of adolescent abuse and neglect.
Understanding Roles and Improving Reporting and Response Relationships Across Professional Boundaries
Goad
Pediatrics, 122, 2008
Asserts that child abuse is underreported and provides suggestions for improving collaboration, including recommendations for changes in training, child protective service procedures and staffing, confidentiality requirements, and the adoption of a Child Advocacy Center model.