WHO ARE MANDATED REPORTERS?

​

WE ARE ALL MANDATED REPORTERS

​

Typically, it’s people who are in regular contact with children.

​

✶ School official, including (but not limited to): - teacher - guidance counselor - psychologist - social worker - nurse - administrator or other school personnel required to hold a teaching or administrative license or certificate ✶

​

​

WHEN AM I MANDATED TO REPORT?

​

“Mandated reporters are required to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment when they are presented with a reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or maltreatment”.

​

​

When one has knowledge of or observes a child in their professional capacity, or within the scope of their employment whom they know or reasonably suspect has been the victim of child abuse or neglect.

​

​

WHAT IS REASONABLE CAUSE?

​

​

​

​

Reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or maltreatment means that, based on your rational observations, professional training and experience, you have a suspicion that the parent or other person legally responsible for a child is responsible for harming that child or placing that child in imminent danger of harm. Your suspicion can be as simple as distrusting an explanation for an injury.

​

​

WHAT IS REASONABLE CAUSE CONT.?

​

​

​

• IF YOU HAVE LEGITIMATE SUSPICIONS OR CONCERNS FOR A CHILD’S SAFETY, THIS IS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A CALL TO ACS.

​

• AS MANDATED REPORTERS, OUR JOB IS TO REPORT CONCERNS, NOT INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGATIONS.

​

• SPECIALISTS ARE TRAINED TO ASK QUESTIONS AND DETERMINE IF CASE WILL BE ACCEPTED BY ACS FOR ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIVE FOLLOW-UP.

​

REMINDER: AS ALWAYS CHECK IN WITH YOUR BIASES!

​

Your racial biases can influence whether or not you think you need to make a report.

​

Anecdotal evidence indicates that more Black, Brown and Indigenous families are being surveilled for educational neglect and maltreatment than other students.

​

We want to be mindful of the ways we may contribute to the criminalization and pain of our families particularly through the child welfare system while balancing the very important role of keeping kids safe and being a mandated reporter.

​

Educate yourself on the differences between poverty and neglect.

​

It’s important to know that making the report doesn’t just mean a connection to services but also prompts an investigation that can lead to stigma and fear and mistrust.

​

Balance, communication, staff support and self-awareness are strategies we all need to utilize to ensure we are protecting our students and families in a safe and equitable way.

​

​

WHAT IS ABUSE?

​

​

​

​

• Abuse encompasses the most serious injuries and/or risk of serious injuries to children by their caregivers.

​

• An abused child is one whose parent or other person legally responsible for their care inflicts serious physical injury upon the child, creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury, or commits a sex offense against the child.

​

• Abuse also includes situations where a parent or other person legally responsible knowingly allows someone else to inflict such harm on a child.

​

​

WHAT IS MALTREATMENT?

​

​

Maltreatment (Includes Neglect) means that a child’s physical, mental or emotional condition has been impaired, or placed in imminent danger of impairment, by the failure of the child's parent or other person legally responsible to exercise a minimum degree of care by:

​

✶ Failing to provide sufficient food, clothing, shelter, education.

✶ Failing to provide proper supervision, guardianship, or medical care (refers to all medical issues, including dental, optometric, or surgical care).

✶ Inflicting excessive corporal punishment, abandoning the child, or misusing alcohol or other drugs to the extent that the child was placed in imminent danger.

​

Poverty or financial inability to provide the above is NOT maltreatment.

​

​

HOW DO I RECOGNIZE ABUSE?

​

​

​

​

Indicators of Physical Abuse Can Include (But not limited to):

• Injuries to the eyes or both sides of the head or body (accidental injuries typically only affect one side of the body);
• Frequent injuries of any kind (bruises, cuts, and/or burns), especially if the child is unable to provide an adequate explanation of the cause. These may appear in distinctive patterns such as grab marks, human bite marks, cigarette burns, or impressions of other instruments;
• Destructive, aggressive, or disruptive behavior; Passive, withdrawn, or emotionless behavior;
• Fear of going home or fear of parent(s).

​

HOW DO I RECOGNIZE MALTREATMENT?

​

​

​

​

Indicators of Maltreatment May Include:

• Obvious malnourishment, listlessness, or fatigue.
• Stealing or begging for food.
• Lack of personal care—poor personal hygiene, torn and/or dirty clothes.
• Untreated need for glasses, dental care, or other medical attention.
• Frequent absence from or tardiness to school.
• Child inappropriately left unattended or without supervision.

​

Poverty or financial inability to provide the above is NOT maltreatment.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I NEED TO MAKE A REPORT?

​

• Do Not Wait to let someone know! Waiting until the end of the day or that evening to inform one of our counselors or administrators about a child’s safety concerns can put the child in great risk.

​

• As soon as you have suspicions that a child is being abused/maltreated- call, email, text and or stop by the social work suit (304), Annie and Jen’s office (301), Kiri’s office (401) for assistance and

Support. Your goal is to make sure someone that can assist you knows ASAP.

• Jen’s Cell: 646-881-0367
• Emails: Jenc@uainstitute.org, jenniferjr@uainstitute.org, marnib@uainstitute.org, Daniellei@uainstitute.org

​

​

• UAI Counseling Department will assist staff in gathering additional information and/or calling ACS with Staff if this is ext step in child’s safety plan.

​

​

​

​

​

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I NEED TO MAKE A REPORT CONT.?

​

​

If a child has informed you of alleged abuse, you are required by law to make a report with the Administration of Child Services as the primary holder of information.

• The Office of Safety First is a hotline for mandated reporters to help maintain clear and direct lines of communication between the mandated reporter and ACS staff. This office can help answer questions regarding reporting possible abuse.
• Safety First Number: 718-KID-SAFE
• ACS Number for Mandated Reporters:
• 1(800) 635-1522

​

You are not required to notify the parents or other persons legally responsible either before or after your report. In fact, in some cases, alerting the parent may hinder the investigation and adversely affect the ability to assess the safety of the children.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I CALL ACS?

​

​

​

There may be times when you have very little information on which to base your suspicion of abuse or maltreatment, but this should not prevent you from calling. Remember it is not our job to determine if their has been abuse or maltreatment but it is our job to report our suspicions. A trained specialist will help to determine if the information you are providing can be registered as a report.

​

The LDSS-2221A Mandated Reporter form can be used to help you organize the identifying or demographic information you do have at your disposal and will be asked to provide.

�All ACS Intake Specialists will ask for:

• Name, age (D.O.B), ethnicity and address of victim (can all be found on Skedula).
• Names, age, address, contact info and ethnicity of guardian/alleged suspect and all other children in the household (we provide what information we know, it’s ok to not know the ages of a parent for example).
• Description -with specifics - of allegations/reason for call.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I CALL ACS CONT.?

​

​

​

​

The Social Services Law provides confidentiality for mandated reporters and all sources of child abuse and maltreatment reports so your name will not be identified when they contact the family.

​

If a mandated reporter makes a report with earnest concern for the welfare of a child, he or she is immune from any criminal or civil liability that might result. This is referred to as making a report in “good faith.”

​

You are immune from liabilities but if you’re a mandated reporter who fails to report you could be charged with criminal penalties.

​

MYTHS AROUND SUICIDE?

The myths and stigmas of mental illness, suicide and seeking help have historically silenced us and convinced us that talking about suicide carries more risks than not talking about it!

​

MYTHS ABOUT SUICIDE

• It’s not a big problem, suicide is not that common?

The CDC reported that suicide was the second leading cause of death among people ages 10-34 in 2018.

​

• Only certain people are at risk for suicide. It would not be anyone I know?

Suicide does not discriminate. Anyone and Everyone can be impacted by suicide, but there are some groups that have higher risk factors associated with suicide:

1.Those that identify as female compared with males; though males are more likely to die by suicide.

2. Non-Hispanic black high schoolers than non-Hispanic white high schoolers.

3. Students who identified as being gay, lesbian or bisexual compared with students who identified as heterosexual.

​

• If a student talks about suicide they won’t do it, so I don’t need to be concerned?

Any time a child discusses suicide, we need to take the conversation seriously. We need to praise students for being open and honest about their feelings and curiosities and more importantly, dive deeper into feelings, assess for safety and ensure there is a safety plan if need be. Sometimes suicidal students talk about suicide and sometimes they do not, this is why we all must know the warning signs, embrace conversations and deepen personal and trusting relationships with our students.

​

​

​

POTENTIAL WARNING SIGNS OF A SUICIDAL STUDENT?

• Current talk of suicide or planning
• Hopelessness
• Overwhelmed
• Preoccupation with death
• Change in behaviour, sleep, eating patterns
• Anxious, restless, depressed
• Lack of social support; isolation
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drug use
• Extreme mood swings

HOW TO RESPOND TO SUICIDAL THOUGHTS?

​

​

• LISTEN
• ASK THE QUESTION - Ask clearly and directly “Are you thinking of suicide?”
• Support their being open about suicide – don’t judge
• Don’t try to minimize their pain. Offer empathy rather than trying to ‘fix’ the problem
• Don’t try to help all alone
• NEVER agree to keep it a secret
• Tell them you need to follow UAI protocols to keep them safe

WHAT ARE THE IN-PERSON STUDENT EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS AT UAI?

• Do not leave the student alone or allow them to leave your sight. It is always best practice to have your own eyes on a child who is expressing suicidal ideations or is reporting allegations of sexual or physical abuse.

​

• Reassure the student that you are there to help her and you are proud of them for sharing such difficult news. Validation and trust are vital at this stage.

​

• Let the student know you care about them and are worried so you need further assistance from a counselor to make sure she is safe.

​

​

​

​