● An independent contractor. ● An attorney affiliated with an agency, institution, organization, or other entity, including a school or regularly established religious organization, who is responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or control of children. ● An individual who is supervised or managed by a person listed above and who has direct contact with children in the course of their employment. ● A foster parent. ● An individual, paid or unpaid, who, on the basis of the individual’s roles an integral part of a regularly schedule program, activity, or service, is responsible for children’s welfare or has direct contact with children. ● An adult family member who is responsible for a child’s welfare and provides services to a child in a family living home, community home for individuals with an intellectual disability, or host home for children who are subject to supervision or licensure by the department under Article IX or X of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L. 31, No. 21), known as the Public Welfare Code . It is generally accepted that mandated reporters who have good education about child maltreatment and training related to their role are more effective reporters. They are thought to be influenced by knowledge of their duty, their ability to recognize abuse, and positive attitudes toward the duty (Baker et al., 2021). Reporters require accurate
knowledge of the nature of their legal duty and how to comply with it, and it is important to understand what must be reported, the process of reporting, and why the duty exists (Baker et al, 2021). In addition, reporters need education about the nature of each type of maltreatment (including definitions, indicators, consequences, and how to differentiate between types of maltreatment and the extent of harm). Knowledge of physical and behavioral indicators of different forms of maltreatment is especially important because indicators of each kind of maltreatment are not easily identifiable and can mimic other conditions and child adversities (Baker et al, 2021). Further, reporters need education and training to foster attitudes conducive to appropriate reporting, as attitudes influence behavior (Baker et al, 2021). Self-Assessment Quiz Question #8 A person who is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or training of a child is a mandated reporter. According to this definition, a teacher is a mandated report. What other categories are included? a. Youth coaches. b. Volunteer with works in schools. c. Clergy. d. All the above. practice of a profession or through a regularly scheduled program, activity, or service (information obtained through a professional role). ● The mandated reporter is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or training of the child or is affiliated with an agency, institution, organization, school, regularly established church or religious organization, or other entity that is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or training of the child (information obtained through a professional role). ● A person makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that an identifiable child is the victim of child abuse (information obtained through a professional role or an outside of a professional role). ● An individual 14 years of age or older makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that the individual has committed child abuse (information obtained through a professional role or outside of a professional role). The circumstances above pertain to abuse information obtained through a professional role, but the last two bulleted items describe information that can be obtained from outside a professional role as well. ● When the reporter engages in any action authorized as a result of suspected child abuse such as taking photographs, administering medical tests, and taking x-rays of a child subject to report; taking a child into protective custody; admitting a child to a private or public hospital; or engaging in mandatory reporting or postmortem investigation of deaths. An official or employee of the department or county agency who refers a report of suspected child abuse for general protective services to law enforcement authorities or provides services as authorized shall have immunity from
Staff members of public or private agencies, institutions, and facilities Individuals who are staff members of a medical or other public or private institution, school, facility, or agency who, in the course of their employment, occupation, or practice of their profession, encounter children shall immediately report the suspected abuse or neglect (Pennsylvania Child Welfare Information Solution, n.d.). The individual should notify the person in charge of the institution, if any, who shall facilitate the cooperation of the institution, school, facility, or agency (Pennsylvania Child Welfare Information Solution, n.d.). Any intimidation, retaliation, or obstruction is subject to the provisions of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958 (Pennsylvania Child Welfare Information Solution, n.d.). The PA CPSL does not require more than one report from any such institution, school, facility, or agency.
Healthcare consideration: To report suspected abuse, a mandated reporter does not have to determine whether a person meets the definition of a perpetrator. A mandated reporter shall report information if they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of child abuse under any of the following circumstances (Pennsylvania Child Welfare Information Solution, n.d.): ● The mandated reporter comes into contact with the child in the course of employment, occupation, and Protections for mandated reporters Mandated reporters who report suspected child abuse in good faith are protected. A mandated reporter is protected under the following circumstances (Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance, n.d.): ● When the reporter reports suspected child abuse or makes a referral for general protective services, regardless of whether the report is required. ● When the reporter cooperates or consults with an investigation. ● When the reporter testifies in a proceeding arising out of an instance of suspected child abuse or general protective services.
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Book Code: SWPA1525
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