Frequently Asked Questions Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect in ...

academic instruction, counseling and other therapeutic services, etc. In these situations,
children are in the custody of coaches, teachers, camp counselors, resident assistants,
police officers, or professional counselors, and you should regard them as caregivers who
are responsible for the care and supervision of children for reporting purposes.
B. What if an essay submitted by an applicant for admission includes a vague
statement that suggests the applicant was “abused” as a child, but doesn’t give
any information about nature of the conduct or the alleged abuser?
In general, an essay that makes reference to “abuse” but provides no further information
does not rise to the level of reporting to authorities. The word “abuse” refers to a wide
range of behaviors (e.g., bullying, verbal abuse, a spanking that leaves no injury) that
may not constitute child abuse; and the “abuser” is not identified and could be among a
range of individuals who are not in the caregiver capacity (e.g., a friend, classmate,
neighbor, or stranger). Unless there is something more about the child’s admission
application that leads you to suspect actual child abuse, you are not required to report.
Conversely, if the applicant writes, “I was raped as a child by my stepfather,” this
statement obviously triggers the reporting requirement.
C. What if a student turns in a creative writing assignment that describes a vivid
incident of child neglect and does not indicate that it is at all autobiographical?
In writing assignments in which there are descriptions of child abuse or neglect, you must
determine whether you have reason to believe that child abuse or neglect actually
occurred. If you do not have “reason to believe” that the account is factual, then there is
no obligation to make a report. However, even if you have just a “gut feeling” that the
student is describing events that actually occurred, you are encouraged to report.
D. What if a student turns in an assignment, stating that a “friend” was abused by
a relative, without specific information to identify the friend?
Based on the information provided, you should report if the account gives you “reason to
believe” that the abuse occurred and you have other information that would allow child
protective services to investigate further, such as:
1) the identity or a clear description of the person who caused the abuse or neglect;
2) other information about the victim;
3) the nature, location and extent of the abuse or neglect.
If at least some of this information is not provided, the information is insufficient to
require reporting. Again, however, you may still make a report if the information
provided gives you reason to believe that child abuse occurred. In this situation, child
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