Child Abuse Reporting

 

All school employees are mandated reporters of suspected child abuse.  If you suspect child abuse, you MUST report it to the appropriate agency and complete the correct form. Refer to LAUSD Bulletin-1347.0 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements in the Main Office or on the LAUSD website.

 

California Penal Code, Section 11166 (b) Provides:

Any child care custodian, medical practitioner, non-medical practitioner, or employer of a child protective agency who has knowledge of or who reasonably suspects that mental suffering has been inflicted on a child or his or her emotional well-being is endangered in any other way, may report such suspected instance of child abuse to a child protective agency.

 

California Penal Code, Section 1172 (b) provides:

Any person who fails to report an instance of child abuse which he or she knows to exist or reasonably should know to exist, as required by this article, is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by confinement in the county jail for a term not to exceed six months, or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or both.

 

For the purpose of these laws, child abuse includes, but is not limited to, physical injury, sexual assault, mental abuse and/or general neglect.

 

Consequences for Non-compliance:

If you do not comply with the policy, you may be subject to school district disciplinary action and personal, professional, civil and or criminal liability.

 

 

 Below is a quick summary of the steps to be taken:

 

  1. If you hear about, or witness child abuse, you must call the Child Abuse Hotline immediately.  You cannot keep the information confidential.  Do not expect the counselor, school psychologist, social worker, or nurse to file the report for you.  They will be happy to assist you, but you are the Mandated Reporter.

 

  1. Prior to calling, you must have all of the child’s personal information.  If you do not, you can go to the Counseling Office and request it from one of the clerks.

 

  1. Make sure that you have the name of the mother (this is how reports are filed.).  Check to see that the information is current, especially the home address and phone number.

 

  1. Be prepared to provide a summary of what the student told you, including time frame, and any past incidents of abuse.

 

  1. Call the Child Abuse Hotline (800) 540 – 4000, stating that you are a Mandated Reporter.  Give the school address and phone number, and make note of the time of your call.  The Hotline will tell you if you need to call the local police department (where the abuse took place) instead of reporting the abuse to them.

 

  1. When calling the Hotline, write down the name of the person who takes the report, and the 19-digit reference number you are given.

 

  1. About half an hour after calling in the report to the Child Abuse Hotline, you will file on-line at the Department of Children and Family Services web site:

http://dcfs.co.la.ca.us/

 

  1. Click on the left hand side of the screen where it says: “For Mandated Reporters Only”, to file your report.  To log on, you need the 19 digit reference number you were given.

 

  1. Before closing the site, make sure that you have printed out your Child Abuse Report.

 

  1. FOR CHILD ABUSE REPORTS TO THE POLICE ONLY:  If you are instructed by the Hotline to call the police, you will fill out a paper report which you can obtain from any administrator.  Note the name of the officer and their badge number.  You will not be filing on-line.

 

  1. Whether you file with the Hotline or the police, you will need three copies:

-       one for you records (proof that you have fulfilled your legal and ethical obligations)

-       one for Mr. Janssen’s confidential file

-       one for the district – to be sent through school mail to:

LAUSD Child Abuse Unit

Office of the General Counsel

20th Floor

Beaudry Building