Mandated Reporter and Child Protection

The Mandated Reporter and Child Protection

Child abuse and neglect is a violation of children’s human rights and an obstacle to their education and development.  

Who Must Report?

Mandated reporters include, but are not limited to, teachers; instructional aides, teacher's aides or assistants; classified employees; certificated pupil personnel employees; athletic coaches, administrators, and directors;  district police or security officers; licensed nurses or health care providers; and administrators, presenters, and counselors of a child abuse prevention program.  (Penal Code 11165.7)

A mandated reported shall make a report whenever, in his/her professional capacity or within the scope of his/her employment, he/she has knowledge of or observes a child whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect.  (Penal code 11166)

Any mandated reporter who has knowledge of or who reasonably suspects that a child is suffering serious emotional damage or is at a substantial risk of suffering serious emotional damage, evidenced by states of being or behavior, including, but not limited to, severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or untoward aggressive behavior toward self or others, may make a report to an agency.  Penal Code 11166.05)

Mandated Reporter Training

All school employees are required to receive Mandated Reporter Training and must provide proof of completing the training within the first six weeks of each school year or within the first six weeks of that person’s employment.

This training includes information that failure to report an incident of known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect, as required by Section 11166 of the Penal Code, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months confinement in a county jail, or by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.

Online training is available at http://educators.mandatedreporterca.com

Upon scoring an 80% or higher, an email is provided as proof of completion.