Lesson - Introduction
Mandated reporting laws are a recent occurrence. Though the first "legally recognized' case of child abuse and neglect occurred in New York in 1890, state mandatory reporting laws did not emerge until the 1960's with the recognition of "battered child" syndrome by Dr. Kempe and the medical community. These first state laws varied in their definitions of abuse and neglect and in their response to reports. In 1974 , the federal government provided consistency and set the standard for reporting by passing the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. In 1976, close to 670,000 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported. Today, more than three million cases are reported annually. In the state of Michigan, more than 125,000 reports of suspected child abuse and neglect are made yearly with more than 8,000 being made in Oakland County. Source: Michigan Family Independence Agency CPS Complaint Log
Lesson One will explain Child Protection Law. Topics include:
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Who is a mandated reporter
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How and when to report child abuse and neglect
What agencies are involved in reporting child abuse and neglect
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What is reasonable suspicion
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Legal repercussions for not reporting or falsifying a report
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Typical concerns surrounding the reporting process
The main objectives for this Lesson are:
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Have an understanding of the law and your obligations under the law
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To report child abuse and neglect accurately and in a timely fashion
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To deal with concerns about reporting
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To become familiar with important terms
Click on to the Glossary link or use the links with the lesson for more specific definitions as defined by the law and the Children's Protective Services.
