A friend of yours suspects a child in his class at soccer camp is being abused by a parent. Your friend shares his fears that he isn’t really sure what to do or if there is enough evidence to report. He also worries that the parent will suspect your friend is the reporter and will retaliate against your friend in court. Your friend asks for your advice on what to do. Describe not only the legal mandates and procedures for reporting but also the ethical reasons for reporting.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Remind your friend it is clear that he has a legal responsibility to children and families to protect them from further harm by reporting any suspicions. Research to be sure your friend is a mandatory reporter and explain that role to him.
Explain that reporting can help families get services and needed help as well as prevent abuse.
Remind your friend he has an ethical responsibility to report child abuse and neglect. The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment (2005) provides specific guidelines for educators for ethical practice in regard to child abuse.
Let your friend know that before calling Child Protective Services, he should have important documentation, including the child’s name, date of birth, address, and telephone number; details of the suspected abuse; and, if possible, information about the perpetrator.
He should begin this documentation process at the first suspicion of abuse or neglect.
His report should include descriptive information about bruises, marks, or other physical signs of abuse that may help determine the degree of physical risk that is currently present. Information about family members may help determine if the child is at risk if he or she returns home. Clarity in the report is critical.
If you feel, as a mandatory reporter, that the person taking the report over the telephone doesn’t understand the extent of your concern, by all means, ask for a supervisor. A supervisor generally has years of experience dealing with abuse/neglect, and if there is some dispute about whether to report, the supervisor may help make the final decision.
Part of your friend’s role in the reporting process will be to ask a child open-ended questions that will provide enough information to Child Protective Services to determine if an investigation is necessary. When talking to children about suspected abuse, several issues are very important. Finding the appropriate setting is an important aspect of gathering information, as children are more likely to talk freely when other students are not present. However, it may be appropriate to have another trusted person present, such as an administrator, a school nurse, or a counselor. Also, it is critical that you avoid asking leading questions or insert information that has not been revealed by the child. Asking leading or inappropriate questions can result in much otherwise useful information being discarded or discredited.
As much as possible, the incident should be conveyed in the child’s words.