Mandated Reporter Training - Unit 4

Purpose:

To explain the process of making a report.

When you suspect child abuse, the first thing to do is document what you know:
- Write down what was said to you, preferably in the child's words including all pertinent information available to you.
- When you have concerns, it is important to keep notes on each thing that comes up. One thing may not worry you. Even two things may not worry you. But when you look back at your notes, you may see an overall picture of the family that wasn't available to you during the first concern.
- All of these observations become important during the reporting process.
The critical role of the mandated reporter is providing a detailed description of what you observed. The reporter needs to create an accurate picture in the eyes of the Intake Worker of what the reporter saw. General descriptions do not convey the severity of the child's experience.