5 Things to Know About Child Abuse Reporting

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month - a time when our communities rally to highlight and promote collective action against child abuse. This month and throughout the year, Valley Children's Guilds Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Center (CAP-T Center) aims to address child abuse at every level of prevention, including when abuse or neglect of a child is suspected.  

At Valley Children’s Hospital, every staff member and volunteer are mandated reporters, much like our community teachers, coaches, law enforcement personnel and firefighters, to name a few. And in addition to our legal obligation to report, as advocates for all children, it is all of our responsibility to speak up anytime we suspect abuse.  

As a reminder of our duty, here are five things to know about the mandated reporter’s role in child abuse reporting.  

Five Things to Know About Child Abuse Reporting 

• Never assume it’s someone else’s job to report
  • All mandated reporters have a responsibility to report suspected child abuse. If more than one person has knowledge of the abuse, one person can be designated to file the Suspected Child Abuse Report (SCAR) with Child Protective Services (CPS) and/or law enforcement.
• It’s okay to report out of caution
  • As mandated reporters, we are all required to report whenever we observe or learn about child abuse, even if it is only suspected. A SCAR should be submitted IMMEDIATELY after reasonable suspicion is established. Proof of abuse is not required.  
• Mandated reporters are required to provide their name and contact information when filing a SCAR
  • By law, investigators are not allowed to disclose who made a child abuse report to a family.  
  • Investigators may contact the mandated reporter after the SCAR has been made to gather additional details for their investigation.  
• Mandated reporters will receive a letter from CPS at the conclusion of the investigation
  • Approximately 30 days from the date that the SCAR is filed, the mandated reporter will receive a letter with rather limited details regarding the outcome of the report.  
• When filing the verbal SCAR, it is important to be clear and concise in your report.  
  • Be prepared to provide the child and family’s demographic information, including if there are other children in the home that may be at risk.  
  • It is helpful for CPS when your report includes specifics such as risk if the concern goes unaddressed. 

This Child Abuse Prevention Month, let us all make it a goal to stay informed and remain vigilant in spotting indicators of abuse. For more information on mandated reporter training visit https://mandatedreporterca.com/. To learn about what services and trainings are available through the Guilds CAP-T center, visit https://www.valleychildrens.org/childadvocacy.