Child Maltreatment

Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic

Violence

Act 1236 of 2011 Requires schools to provide training to licensed

personnel including:   Recognizing Signs of maltreatment   Requirements of the Child Maltreatment Act   Duties of mandated reporters   Methods for Managing Disclosures   Connecting victims to services

Type of Maltreatment by Age

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/3d/b8/3a.pdf

Recognizing Physical Signs

What questions can you ask yourself before you question a child about a suspected injury?

PHYSICAL ABUSE

Recognizing Signs of Physical Abuse

  PHYSICAL:   Bruises or welts in

unusual places or in patterns

  Bruises in various stages of healing

  Explanation of injury differs from parent explanation

  BEHAVIORAL:   Becomes frightened

when other children cry

  Says the parents deserve to be hurt

  Is afraid of certain people

Using the Warning Signs of Neglect   You can use the warning signs & the questions below to help determine if a

report needs to be made –  How many warning signs do you see? –  Are the warning signs regular or frequent? –  Could the student’s physical health be seriously endangered?

6

Recognizing Behavioral

Signs

Are Behavioral Signs Reportable?

Child wants something bad to happen to parent/adult

• Document • Red flag • Develop rapport

PHYSICAL ABUSE

NEGLECT Recognizing Physical/Behavioral Indicators

What proportion of calls are due to neglect?

Recognizing Indicators of Neglect   PHYSICAL:   Underweight   Always hungry   Not clean   Inappropriately

dressed   Denied medical or

dental care

  BEHAVIORAL:   Begs or steals food   Arrives early &

leaves late   Frequent,

unexplained absences

  Overtired or listless

Recognizing Signs of Sexual Abuse

Recognizing Signs of Sexual Abuse   PHYSICAL:   Difficulty walking or

sitting   Wearing torn,

stained or bloody underwear

  Injury to or discharge from genitals

  Pain during urination

  BEHAVIORAL   Acts withdrawn or

younger than age.   Displays sexual

behavior   Tells you that she

has secrets that she cannot tell.

  Tries to hurt himself

Requirements of the Child Maltreatment Act

  When making a report you must have: –  An allegation that if true would meet a legal

definition of child abuse. –  Enough information to locate the family

  By Phone: 1.800.482.5964   By Fax*: 1.501.618.8952

* Must use Arkansas State Police official “Mandated Reporter’s Form” May only be reported by fax if it is non-emergency.

SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE REPORT To Be Completed by Mandated Child Abuse Reporters

Please Print or Type And Fax to;

1-501-618-8952 * INDICATES MANDATORY FIELDS

*Note That this form is to be used for non-emergency use only

*Name of Reporter

Title

Reporters Address Street City ZIP

*Phone Number *Date of Report

Reporting party

*Did Mandated Reporter witness the incident? YES NO

Name (last, first, middle) DOB or Approx age Sex

Address Street City ZIP Phone ( )

*Present location of the victim

School or Daycare

Victim

Information Relationship to alleged Offender Child in Foster Care?

YES NO

#2 VIC

Name (Last, first, middle) DOB or Approx age Sex

http://www.arkansas.gov/reportARchildabuse/pdf/suspected_child_abuse_report.pdf

PG 3

Role in Referral Address Age/DOB

#5 Name Race Sex

Role in Referral Address Age/DOB

Date/time of incident Place of incident Incident Information

Narrative- Please include the following: What Happened; Who Did It?; Does the child have injuries now? When was the child last seen and by whom? ; Safety Concerns; Any Drug Use? Where is child now?

PG 2

DEMOGRAPHIC ROLES: A/V = Alleged Victim

A/O = Alleged Offender PFRC = Person Responsible for Care (of the victim child)

Sibling = Sibling to the victim child Other Person = A person living in the home With the victim child not already mentioned

#1

Name Race Sex

Role in Referral Address Age/DOB

#2 Name Race Sex

Role In Referral Address Age/DOB

#3 Name Race Sex

Role in Referral Address Age/DOB

#4 Name Race Sex

Requirements of the Child Maltreatment Act

No school, Head Start Program, or day care facility shall prohibit, require permission, or require notification of any person before any employee or volunteer directly reports child maltreatment to the Hotline.

Requirements of the Child Maltreatment Act

Investigators have the right to enter school campus to interview students for child maltreatment investigations.

Requirements of the Child Maltreatment Act

Investigators have the right to prohibit schools from notifying parents if a student is interviewed at school as part of an investigation if the parent or guardian is listed as an alleged offender.

Requirements of the Child Maltreatment Act

  The Child Maltreatment Act lists the professions of those legally required to report suspected abuse.

  Each school has many individuals who are mandated by law to report directly to the Hotline.

19 19 19

Counselors Nurses Teachers School Officials School Resource Officers

Mandated Reporters in Schools

Duties of Mandated Reporters

  Mandated Reporters shall “immediately report” suspected child maltreatment to the Hotline when they have “reasonable cause to suspect” that a child has been abused.

  Telling the counselor, principal or other professional DOES NOT meet your legal requirement.

  Protects Mandated Reporters who report in good faith from criminal and civil liabilities.

  The Act establishes criminal penalties for Mandated Reporters who fail to report, including jail time and fines.

  The Act also establishes civil penalties including & loss of professional licensure, and monetary judgments.

Child Maltreatment Act

Managing Disclosures

  Develop trust   Allow the child to be heard   Meet with the child separately   Remember that you may be the only adult

who has the chance to understand the child

Managing Disclosures

  DO consider your response before you are in a real situation.

  DO pay attention to your body language.   DO know the reporting law.

Managing Disclosures

  DO let the child know that it was brave to share something (no matter how minimal) about a difficult subject.

  DO document the actual words.   DO call the Child Abuse Hotline or submit the

fax form if it is not an emergency.

Managing Disclosures

  DON’T try to conduct the investigation yourself.

  DON’T act shocked, horrified, scared, etc.   DON’T share this information with others.   DON’T try to talk a child out of what he/she is

saying.

Managing Disclosures

  DON’T suggest to a child the he/she may have been abused.

  DON’T attempt to find out the details from the parent.

  DON’T stand over the child while he/she talks to you.

Questions? Contact Sherry Williamson, M.P.A.

501-661-7975

williamsonsherryj@uams.edu www.arkansas.gov/reportarchildabuse