Mandated Reporting

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

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S ECTION 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................6

S ECTION 2 Who Is A Mandated Reporter? ......................................................................................................................................6

S ECTION 3 Reasonable Suspicion: What Triggers A Report ...........................................................................................................7

S ECTION 4 What Is Child Abuse And Neglect?...............................................................................................................................8 A. Physical Abuse ................................................................................................................................................8 1. What Is Physical Abuse?..........................................................................................................................8 2. Red Flags: Physical Abuse .......................................................................................................................9 B. Sexual Abuse and/or Exploitation ...................................................................................................................9 1. What Is Sexual Abuse? ............................................................................................................................9 2. Duty To Report Sexual Abuse By A Minor and/or Peer ..........................................................................9 3. Red Flags: Sexual Abuse........................................................................................................................11 4. Duties Beyond Mandated Reporting ......................................................................................................11 C. Child Neglect.................................................................................................................................................12 1. What Is Child Neglect? ..........................................................................................................................12 2. Red Flags: Child Neglect .......................................................................................................................13 D. What About Mental Suffering? .....................................................................................................................13 S ECTION 5 Nuts and Bolts: Procedural Requirements ...................................................................................................................14 A. Preparing Your Mandated Reporters To Report............................................................................................14 B. Reports Are An Individual Duty ...................................................................................................................15 C. Telephone Report ..........................................................................................................................................15 D. Written Report...............................................................................................................................................15 E. Internet Report...............................................................................................................................................15 F. Confidentiality of Identity of Reporter..........................................................................................................16 G. Immunity From Suit ......................................................................................................................................17 H. Institutional Reporting Obligations Under the Safe Sport Act ........................................................................17 S ECTION 6 Mandated Reporting In Community College Districts ................................................................................................19 A. Instructors, Counselors and Classified Employees........................................................................................19 B. Clery Act and Mandated Reporting...............................................................................................................20 S ECTION 7 Police Investigations of Reports of Child Abuse and Neglect .....................................................................................21 A. Investigatory Interviews ................................................................................................................................21 B. A Child’s Right To A “Trusted Adult” .........................................................................................................22 C. Arrest of a Minor Perpetrator ........................................................................................................................22

E NDNOTES ...................................................................................................................................................................24

Mandated Reporting ©2020 Liebert Cassidy Whitmore iv