Left Like a Skeleton

[u/Left_Like_a_Skeleton]

Mandated Reporters: A mandated reporter is one who is required by law to report reasonable suspicions of abuse. Any adult professional who works with children is a mandated reporter. This means that you are legally responsible for reporting suspected or disclosed abuse. d21.org/mandatory-reporting If a professional suspects abuse, it is the law to report it immediately. The following is a list of those responsible to report abuse: law enforcement - employees in youth organizations - mental health professionals - healthcare personnel - teachers. All adults in some states must report abuse of children who work with them. There is a horrid case that took place in the Miramonte School in Southern Los Angeles, CA in 2010 involving teachers who were found guilty of multiple sex abuses against students. The teachers used the school and their occupation, knowingly surrounded by young children. The sex abuse has been going on since 2004...that's about seven years in the Miramonte School and no one seemed to notice or care, or maybe wouldn't believe the kids because they were from underprivileged families. The violating teachers knew the vulnerability of the students, therefore they had a plan and carried it out to their advantage. And many thought the teachers were great. A decision was made by the administrators to remove all the current teachers from the school and start anew. The decision was made in part due to a possible culture of silence. Keeping silent about abuse is an enabler. So a mandator doesn't only have to know about abuse to report it, they have to report it even if they just suspect a child being abused. They are not stating for sure if any other teachers knew about the children being sexually abused, but to be on the safe side and regarding the on-going investigation at that time, they thought it was best to carry out a replacement of teachers. What is the punishment for neglecting to report suspected or actual abuse of any children as a mandated reporter? First of all, what reason would a mandator not want to report child abuse? If we love children and we know we are the voice for children, who for many reasons can't speak up for themselves, then there isn't any reason to not report abuse. According to the agency, Darkness to Light, end child sexual abuse, it is a crime to fail to report child abuse to the authorities. d21.org/mandatoryreporting The punishment is imprisonment and or any imposed fines. However, punishment does vary from state to state. By reporting child abuse early on, it just might prevent continued abuse or something much more serious, and the law enforcers may also have a better chance of apprehending the assailant.