Reporting Abuse, Neglect,and Exploitation of Children

OBJECTIVESAfter successfully completing this course, you will be able to:

• Define child abuse.• Recognize the signs of child abuse.• Know how to respond to a report of child abuse.• Understand how to protect yourself from child

abuse allegations.• Define professional judgment and understand how

to use professional judgment when working with children.

Lesson 1:

What is child abuse?

What is child abuse?

As an employee of Walton County School District—and as a responsible citizen—you need to know that child abuse cannot be tolerated in any form.

Child abuse, according to most state statutes, is defined as:

• Intentional infliction of a physical or mental injury upon a child.

• Any intentional act that could be expected to result in a physical or mental injury to a child.

• Active encouragement of any person to commit an act that results or could be expected to result in a physical or mental injury to a child.

Case Study

STUDY EXERCISE

INDICATE WHETHER THE STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE:

AN ACT MUST RESULT IN PHYSICAL HARM TO A CHILD TO BE CONSIDERED CHILD ABUSE.

TRUE OR FALSE?

FALSE!

Lesson 2:

What Are Your Responsibilities?

What Are Your Responsibilities?

As an employee in an educational institution, you are required by law to report child abuse.

Walton County Protocol requires that you report suspected child abuse to the school counselor or school administrator.

Teachers, school officials or other school personnel who know or have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused, abandoned or neglected, have a responsibility to report the suspected abuse for the protection of children.

Report child abuse. It is the law!

(O.C.G.A. 19-7-5)

STUDY EXERCISEYOU ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

SUSPECTED ABUSENEGLECTABANDONMENT

TRUE OR FALSE?

TRUE!

Lesson 3:

Report the Abuse Right Away!

Report the Abuse Right Away!

As an employee of Walton County School District, if you know or suspect that a child has been abused and you intentionally fail to report it promptly, you can be arrested and charged with a criminal count of "Neglect of a Child."

The penalties of such a charge range from misdemeanor to felony.

Case Study

Lesson 4:

Protect the Child

Protect the Child

Threat of abandonment Severe demeaning comments Beating Withholding food or essential medical care Lewd or sexual acts between adults and children Exploitation of a child, or Child pornography viewing

If you witness or hear reports from a student, student’s sibling, a parent, or a reliable source, you must act. Child abuse includes:

Report the abuse to your school counselor, or if you cannot locate the school counselor then report to your school administrator. If you witness or hear anything that you feel is abuse, you are required to report it.

Case Study

STUDY EXERCISEINDICATE WHETHER THE STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE:

YOU MUST WITNESS ABUSE FIRST HAND IN ORDER TO REPORT IT.

TRUE OR FALSE?

FALSE!

Lesson 5:

When a Child Victim Tells

When a Child Victim Tells

According to the Children’s Advocacy Center, when a child victim tells about an abusive episode, you should:

• Support the child and immediately report the incident.

• NOTE: The reporter’s identity is kept confidential by investigation agencies.

• Reassure the child that he or she has done nothing wrong and it is his or her right to tell someone.

• Explain to the child that you are required to do whatever you can to ensure his or her safety.

What Else Should You Do?

Express belief that the child is telling the truth. Use discretion when talking with the child to

respect his or her privacy. Respond to the child in understanding terms. Allow the child to speak in his or her own words.

Lesson 6:

What NOT to Do

What NOT to Do

• Do not elicit detailed information from the child after initial disclosure. This could contaminate the case. Attaining information is the responsibility of the investigators. Please refer to your handout for permissible general questions.

• Do not call the child’s parents. Until the initial investigation is complete, you cannot know if the parents are involved. Even if the parents are not the abusers, they may have had knowledge of the abuse and did not intervene.

• Do not make promises. Refrain from telling the child things like, "If you say this or do that, I promise this will or won’t happen to you."

• Do not allow your emotions to affect the child. • Do not call the abuser a "bad person." The abuser may be a relative

or close friend of the family.

STUDY EXERCISEFROM THE LIST BELOW PLEASE SELECT FOUR (4) THINGS YOU SHOULD DO IF A CHILD VICTIM TELLS YOU HE OR SHE IS BEING ABUSED.

• Immediately report the incident to your school counselor or school administrator.

• Notify the parents.• Reassure the child that he or she has done nothing wrong.• Elicit as much information as possible from the student.• Allow the child to speak in his or her own words.• Express belief that the child is telling the truth.

Lesson 7:

Rules of Thumb

Rules of Thumb

Never Minimize the Seriousness of Child Abuse

It is important that you remember to never minimize the seriousness of child abuse. The child’s happiness and future are at stake.

You may be the only individual willing to protect the child, thereby saving him or her from a lifetime of physical and emotional harm.

Rules of Thumb

Never Cover Up Your Suspicions

Sometimes you may be unsure or feel that your suspicions are unfounded, and, if so, that your actions might actually be harmful to the alleged perpetrator. Never attempt to excuse or cover up your suspicions of child abuse. 

Report all cases of suspected child abuse. 

Rules of Thumb

Report All Suspected Child Abuse

Immediately report all suspected child abuse to the school counselor or administrator.

You may fear that reporting child abuse places you in an uncompromising situation. From our formative years, we are taught to mind our own business, but when it comes to child abuse, the child’s safety is and always will be our business. The need to report the abuse far outweighs our natural tendency to avoid "telling" on someone. 

You have a responsibility to report the abuse.

Case Study

STUDY EXERCISE

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding your responsibility to report

suspected child abuse? A You should only report child abuse when a student

admits he or she is being abused.

B Minimizing the seriousness of the abuse will help the child heal more quickly.

C If you are unsure, you should not report your suspicions.

D You have a responsibility to report ALL suspected abuse.

Lesson 8:

What if the Suspect is a Coworker?

What if the Suspect is a Coworker?

At some time during your career you might suspect that a coworker is abusing his or her own child or the children in the classroom. This is certainly a difficult situation, but the same rule applies.

You must report your suspicions to the school counselor or administrator.

Lesson 9:

Professional Judgment

Professional Judgment

To prevent allegations of abuse being leveled at you, as an employee of the school, you must make sure that your behavior is above reproach.

Your behavior will, in most cases, be the behavior that either builds a strong relationship with the community or destroys that relationship.

Using professional judgment will help build trust and a sense of community pride in your school. Ensure that your actions do nothing to destroy the trust placed in you by parents and others in the community.

Using Professional Judgment

Use "professional judgment" when interacting with students.

Maintain a professional barrier between you and your students. You are the professional: act like the mature adult, not like one of the children.

Keep the classroom door open when talking with students individually. Refer students to the appropriate person for counseling and

discussions about personal matters. Do not discuss your husband, wife, girlfriends, or boyfriends with

students. Keep these matters to yourself. Use verbal praises and reinforcements. Keep hands and other parts of the body to yourself.

Using Professional Judgment

Professional judgment, in the context of interacting with students, means conducting yourself in a proper manner.

• Attend chaperone-only school-sponsored functions.

• When serving as a teacher or chaperone on field trips, understand your responsibilities and the limitations on personal interactions with the students.

• When transporting students, coordinate transportation ahead of time with your principal or supervisor.  Never transport students in your personal vehicle.  Use school buses or mass transportation whenever possible.

• When on field trips, use a buddy system.  Avoid situations when a lone student is separated from the group.  Always have two or more staff members or volunteer chaperones with each group of students. 

• Avoid leaving students unsupervised at any time.

• Treat students with respect.

• Know students’ rights. If you do not know their rights, refer to the student handbook, or contact the principal.

Using Professional Judgment

To keep yourself free from allegations of abuse, as an employee of the school, you must make sure your behavior is above reproach. There are always situations and behaviors that you must avoid.  Always remember to use professional judgment and avoid the following "do nots" when interacting with students.• Do not socialize with students outside of school.• Do not drink alcoholic beverages in front of

students.• Do not use corporal punishment. Use a consistent

disciplinary behavior plan when dealing with students.

• Do not transport students in your personal vehicle.• Do not take students home with you.  Never!!• Do not ask students to accompany you to outside

school events. This can lead to a misunderstanding of the activity or your actions.

Using Professional Judgment

• Do not pick up students from their homes or anywhere else.• Do not make telephone calls or write notes of a personal nature to

students.• Do not harass, tease or mistreat students; do respect their

differences.• Do not flirt with students.• Do not discuss your personal life or personal matters with students.• Do not discuss your husband, wife, girlfriends or boyfriends with

students.

STUDY EXERCISE

Which of the following is an example of appropriate behavior when interacting with

students?

A Picking up a student at his or her home.

B Talking to students about your husband or wife.

C Keeping the classroom door open when talking with students individually.

D Leaving students unsupervised.

Lesson 10:

Questionable Activities

Questionable Activities

Avoid teacher interactions that are considered questionable:• Avoid any activity that you fear may be misunderstood by a student or by

anyone that may witness your actions. If you are not sure if the activity is questionable, it probably is.  Discuss the matter with your principal or supervisor before proceeding.

• If you witness or are told about a questionable activity that happens on or off campus between a fellow employee and a student, immediately discuss this with your principal or supervisor. This also includes witnessing or hearing about another employee engaging in a questionable activity.

• If you witness or are told about a questionable activity that happens on or off campus between adults and students, discuss them with your principal as soon as possible after witnessing or hearing about the incident.

STUDY EXERCISEYOU WITNESS A FELLOW TEACHER DRIVING A STUDENT TO SCHOOL. YOU SHOULD REPORT THIS ACTIVITY TO YOUR SUPERVISOR OR PRINCIPAL.

TRUE OR FALSE?

TRUE!

Lesson 11:

Protecting the Children

Protecting the Child

When you listen to an abused child’s call for help, do the right thing and report it.  You can play a crucial role in helping a child escape from an abusive situation.  None of us wants to see a child suffer. 

Child abuse is a problem that most of us are reluctant to discuss. It is a delicate and appalling topic. To protect the children, you need to openly discuss it and report the abusive treatment as soon as possible.

We are glad you have chosen a career in education and know that you are a dedicated educator or supporter of education because you love children and want to see them succeed. The greatest reward for an educator is a student discovering the joy of learning, and you are the catalyst in this amazing process.

For any further questions, please contact the Student Services Department at the central office.(770) 266-4510

- Gina Meadows, Student Services Director - Eric Rubio, Student Services Coordinator - Pam Reaves, Student Services Coordinator