The following resource material on reporting abuse and neglect of children under our care, within any NEYM youth program, was prepared for a staff training that Marybeth Toomey and myself led in March of 2004. The "Toolbox" concept is what we used to describe what youth workers needed to have on hand while working with children and teens. (Thus the name "Staff Toolbox" for this entire section of our site.)
Youth Worker’s Toolbox
TOPIC: Reporting Suspected Abuse and Neglect
If
you are working or volunteering as an adult with young people in any program,
organization, or religious community, you are a mandated reporter. If you have
reasonable cause to believe that a child under the age of 18 years is suffering
from physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect under the age of 18, you are
mandated by law to report this to the program leader, who in turn is mandated to
formally report it to the appropriate state agency where the child or teen
resides.
WHAT
TO DO FIRST:
1.
Make certain that the
child or teen’s emotional and physical needs for safety and comfort are being
met immediately following the disclosure.
2.
Staff persons should
report all disclosed information immediately to their program’s leaders.
3. An oral report via telephone should be made immediately to the appropriate state agency. Be prepared to supply the following information to the intake worker on the phone:
·
All
identifying information (name, address, date of birth, home phone, etc.) you
have about the child and his/her parent or other caretaker, if known.
·
The
nature and extent of the suspected abuse or neglect, including any evidence or
knowledge of prior injury, abuse, maltreatment or neglect.
·
The
circumstances under which you first became aware of the child’s injuries,
abuse, maltreatment or neglect.
·
Tell
the agency what action, if any, has been taken thus far to provide shelter or
otherwise assist the child.
·
Any
information you believe might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injury
and person responsible.
·
As
a mandated reporter, you are required by law to also provide the child
protective agency with your name, address and telephone number.
·
You
should inform the child’s parent/care giver that you have filed, unless
you think it would increase the risk to the child or teen.
4.
If you’re not sure if
you should report, call the applicable agency anyway and ask them for advice.
Most intake workers are very helpful. Refer to the list of New England child
protective agencies included at the end of this Toolbox Sheet.
5.
On a “need to know
basis,” be certain to process with staff members who are aware of the
situation and to let them know what steps have been taken. Remind staff of the
need to honor confidentiality to protect those involved, especially for the
remainder of the event and beyond.
6.
Assess the needs of the
group and/or community as a whole and designate key staffers to offer support as
needed to either the child who has disclosed or other community members who have
been impacted by this matter.
7.
After calling in an oral
report, as a mandated reporter you are next required to file a written report
to the applicable child protective agency, usually within 12 to 48 hours. A good
rule of thumb is to do so within 24 hours, just to be safe.
FOLLOW-UP
ACTION:
1.
Program
leaders overseeing NEYM youth related programs should report the matter verbally
via telephone to their designated liaison person, and, in writing as part of the
required Retreat (or event) Summary.
2.
Determine
which staff person would be the most helpful to contact the child’s or
teen’s parents following the event to offer support. With parental permission,
consider speaking with, or sending a note or card to the young person in
question to express your concern and to convey that the community is holding her
or him in love and prayer during this difficult time.
3. Reconnect with staff that were involved in this process to make sure that they are doing okay as well.
Massachusetts:
Contact: The Department of Social Services.
617-792-5200
MA
Department of Social Services
Vermont:
Contact: Vermont Department of Children and Families..
1-800-649-5285
http://www.path.state.vt.us/cwyj/cabuse/tnrpt.shtml
Connecticut:
Contact: The Department of
Children and Families.
1-800-842-2288
http://www.state.ct.us/dcf/HOTLINE.htm
Rhode
Island:
Contact: The Rhode Island Department of Children
1-800 RI-CHILD (800-742-4453)
http://www.preventchildabuse-ri.org/Reportinglaws.asp
New
Hampshire: Contact:
The Division of Children, Youth and Families
1-800-894-5533, In NH: 603-271-6556. The following link is to the NH Children's
Trust Fund, which seems to offer better information than anything listed on the
official State of NH Web site.
http://www.nhctf.org/default.asp?PageID=4512&Expand=4512
Maine:
Contact:
The Bureau of Child and Family Services
1-800 452-1999
http://www.state.me.us/dhs/bcfs/protection.htm
Outside
New England. Contact: Childhelp USA ® National Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-4-A-CHILD or 1-800-2-A-CHILD. They will help you contact the appropriate
state agency. http://www.childhelpusa.org/
Prepared by Kevin Lee, Updated 6.05.