Reporting to the authorities can be uncomfortable and emotionally draining, being prepared for the call can help you take care of yourself.
Whether you are a mandated reporter or not, the process of calling will include giving as much information as possible.
Mandated Reporter
A mandated reporter is a person, depending on their profession, that is legally obligated to report suspicious activity of child abuse to the relevant authorities. Mandated reporters include people of professions that work with vulnerable people like children, the mentally disabled, or elderly.
People that are mandated reporters are . . .
Healthcare workers
Child educators
Law enforcement
Elderly care workers
Social workers
The responsibility of mandated reporters is not to investigate but to only report what they know. They are supposed involve as few people as possible including coworkers or parents of the child.
The most important thing to know for a mandated reporter is that failure to report is a federal crime.
Good Faith Report
A good faith report is a report that is made by someone who is not a mandated reporter and has reasonable suspicion of abuse. In order to file a good faith report, you need to call your local authorities or child protective service and give them the information.
Making the Call
The first thing to do before making a report is checking if the child is in any immediate danger. If you have the power to help them if they are in harms way, do so. Though if you can't, alerting the authorities this will speed up the process of locking up the abuser. If you know the parents and they are not the suspected abusers, it is recommended to inform them of your call first so they are not caught off guard. It is ok to make an anonymous tip, giving them your name and relation to the child will speed up the investigation as well.
When making the call, be prepared to answer the following criteria:
-Name of the victim
-Age of child
-Where they live
-Contact info of child parents or caregivers
-Types of abuse
-Specific signs or evidence of abuse
-Whether the child is in immediate danger
-Name and contact info of the reporter
Making a child abuse report can be difficult, so make sure to practice self care before and after the call.
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