Mandatory reporters, and a wwyd scenario

[ChrizJen]

And this attitude is why I have total job security.

So if you see a person being assaulted or OUI, you just turn your head?

I see this as less McCarthyism than societal responsibility. I am not reporting a person for their beliefs but for their endagerment of others, in this particular case aminor child.

Thank you!! I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Carly_Roach]

A quick story - When my oldest was younger - maybe 2 years old - my wife went shopping. He had a really bad tantrum in the store. My wife was challenged to deal with it, as we had decided that we were going to just ignore them - pretend that they weren't happening. Well, I don't remember the details (my wife would), but someone ended up calling store security, and they called the cops.

I can't tell you how difficult this was on my wife. A stranger saw something that they thought was abusive behavior (not sure what, because my wife didn't touch him) and "acted". My wife was left trying to "prove" her story. Thanks goodness she wasn't arrested, but that was the starting point in the discussion with the police.

That is a large part of the reason that I believe that if you see something, you should try to help, not just report. By deciding to "report" something that you do not understand, you may actually do more harm than good.

I have a story, too. When my tomboy little sister was 6 or 7 she caught the flu and developed a temperature of 106 and had to be taken to the hospital. While she was there, the nurses noted the fading bruises on DSis's leg that occurred when my DSis was shinnying up a tree a week prior and fell out. They called CPS and my parents not only had to deal with a beloved child who was very sick, they also had to field accusations of being abusive parents (which they were not).

Thank God for our family doctor whom the hospital finally called and got confirmation none of us had ever shown up with broken bones, bruises or any other indication that our parents were child abusers. And God bless that old sawbones for being old and wise enough to ream those blasted "mandated reporters" out for calling CPS and making a bad situation 100 times worse with their witch hunt (guilty until proven innocent).

FireDancer refers to this kind of Big Brotherism being McCarthyism, and I agree with him on that point. I'll also go one step further and say it's people who would have felt right at home in 1692 during the witch trials here in America that whole-heartedly stand behind the "mandated reporting at any cost" defense.

Need proof? Just post any news story from any internet web site about someone who's been accused of sexually molesting a child - ANY news story, regardless of whether or not there's a shred of proof against that person, just someone's accusation - and the pitchforks and torches come out. The next 10 (or 20 or 100) posts will be about how the accused should fry, what should be done to the accused, how much the poster wants to hurt the accused, etc, etc, etc. This could be some totally random and innocent man who was snowed in on a runway at the Boise airport when the woman says he was at their house molesting her daughter and she saw it, and there would be DISers here saying he was still guilty and should be castrated.

It goes without saying that I would jump in and do something if I saw a child being abused, which is why I don't spend time saying that's what I'd do. But I'll tell you what I wouldn't do. What I wouldn't do is whip out my cell phone, call the police, and then pray that they get there before the parent kills the kid.

I'm not, after all, a mandated reporter. I'm a mandated human being.

 

[luvsJack]

A quick story - When my oldest was younger - maybe 2 years old - my wife went shopping. He had a really bad tantrum in the store. My wife was challenged to deal with it, as we had decided that we were going to just ignore them - pretend that they weren't happening. Well, I don't remember the details (my wife would), but someone ended up calling store security, and they called the cops.

I can't tell you how difficult this was on my wife. A stranger saw something that they thought was abusive behavior (not sure what, because my wife didn't touch him) and "acted". My wife was left trying to "prove" her story. Thanks goodness she wasn't arrested, but that was the starting point in the discussion with the police.

That is a large part of the reason that I believe that if you see something, you should try to help, not just report. By deciding to "report" something that you do not understand, you may actually do more harm than good.

I am sorry this happened to your wife; but if you saw what you believed to be abuse to a child what exactly would you do? If you don't call authorities the child could be in grave danger. How would you help?

I am guessing that you could ask the abusing adult if you could help in some way, and that is a good way to get hit yourself. And its doubtful they would allow you to do anything anyway.

 

[luvsJack]

I have a story, too. When my tomboy little sister was 6 or 7 she caught the flu and developed a temperature of 106 and had to be taken to the hospital. While she was there, the nurses noted the fading bruises on DSis's leg that occurred when my DSis was shinnying up a tree a week prior and fell out. They called CPS and my parents not only had to deal with a beloved child who was very sick, they also had to field accusations of being abusive parents (which they were not).

Thank God for our family doctor whom the hospital finally called and got confirmation none of us had ever shown up with broken bones, bruises or any other indication that our parents were child abusers. And God bless that old sawbones for being old and wise enough to ream those blasted "mandated reporters" out for calling CPS and making a bad situation 100 times worse with their witch hunt (guilty until proven innocent).

FireDancer refers to this kind of Big Brotherism being McCarthyism, and I agree with him on that point. I'll also go one step further and say it's people who would have felt right at home in 1692 during the witch trials here in America that whole-heartedly stand behind the "mandated reporting at any cost" defense.

Need proof? Just post any news story from any internet web site about someone who's been accused of sexually molesting a child - ANY news story, regardless of whether or not there's a shred of proof against that person, just someone's accusation - and the pitchforks and torches come out. The next 10 (or 20 or 100) posts will be about how the accused should fry, what should be done to the accused, how much the poster wants to hurt the accused, etc, etc, etc. This could be some totally random and innocent man who was snowed in on a runway at the Boise airport when the woman says he was at their house molesting her daughter and she saw it, and there would be DISers here saying he was still guilty and should be castrated.

It goes without saying that I would jump in and do something if I saw a child being abused, which is why I don't spend time saying that's what I'd do. But I'll tell you what I wouldn't do. What I wouldn't do is whip out my cell phone, call the police, and then pray that they get there before the parent kills the kid.

I'm not, after all, a mandated reporter. I'm a mandated human being.

On the flip side, what if your sister HAD been an abused child and they had not reported it? Her next trip to the hospital could have been much worse.

Sure you can jump in and stop physical abuse when you see it happening, but how often are you actually going to see it happen? Are you going to always SEE neglect, sexual abuse or verbal abuse so that you can stop it?

 

[Colleen27]

I am sorry this happened to your wife; but if you saw what you believed to be abuse to a child what exactly would you do? If you don't call authorities the child could be in grave danger. How would you help?

I am guessing that you could ask the abusing adult if you could help in some way, and that is a good way to get hit yourself. And its doubtful they would allow you to do anything anyway.

Do you think anyone really believes bruises or scrapes on the legs of an active child to be an indicator of abuse? Of course not. But "mandatory reporters" have to cover their rears because of the liability, both criminal and civil, our society has chosen to attach to those positions. They'll never get in trouble for the bruise they report, no matter how obviously it might be a normal mark of childhood, but they can end up with big fines or even jail time over the one they don't.

There is no way to eliminate abuse, and initiating stressful, disruptive investigations over every suspicion does a lot more harm than good. Have you ever known someone who has been the subject of a CPS investigation? It is an extremely difficult thing because unlike the criminal justice system, protective services comes at it from a "guilty until proven innocent" standpoint and even if the report is deemed unfounded the records are kept just in case a future report is filed.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I am sorry this happened to your wife; but if you saw what you believed to be abuse to a child what exactly would you do? If you don't call authorities the child could be in grave danger. How would you help?

In this situation, I would actually have to see abuse to do anything. I would have to see something real happen, not just a screaming child or a child with bruises.

 

[luvsJack]

In this situation, I would actually have to see abuse to do anything. I would have to see something real happen, not just a screaming child or a child with bruises.

I can understand that and that was sort of what I meant. I don't normally think "abuse" when I hear a screaming child.

And in Carly Roach's scenario, the drs and nurses in the ER are at a bit of a disadvantage over a teacher, regular dr. or child caregiver in that they do not see the child over and over and have to make a decision on the spot. I would think that most are trained in what kind of bruises to look for but am sure that is not always the case.

For those that don't agree with mandatory reporting, what do you think will work better? Obviously too many children were not being protected before.

You are rarely going to actually witness abuse. For the most part, a judgement call will have to be made on what you observe.

FWIW, I had two parents that were reported to CPS in my center. One turned herself in because she knew I would. She had actually knocked her child down the stairs in a drunken rage and while at an adult party her child's fingers were burnt. She got help and all turned out well.

The other one, we reported. In the end there was no abuse. Although the father was not told that I reported it, he knew that I did. He actually thanked me in a round about way, saying that if his child HAD been abused I was there protecting her.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...For those that don't agree with mandatory reporting, what do you think will work better? Obviously too many children were not being protected before.

You are rarely going to actually witness abuse. For the most part, a judgement call will have to be made on what you observe...

I am against anything that doesn't involve using judgement. Just using the word "mandatory" in the name scares the heck out of me and would keep me from joining an organization that might decide that their hindsight was better than my real time/ real world judgement. Trust me to report that which I think needs to be reported. When you begin making people report other people, they will default on the CYA side and report people who are doing nothing wrong.

I don't have a better idea, but I don't like this one.

 

[walden]

In this situation, I would actually have to see abuse to do anything. I would have to see something real happen, not just a screaming child or a child with bruises.

It is very unusual for abuse to take place in public so this is a cop-out. IMO. Abusers prefer privacy to abuse their victims. I wonder what it would take to make some people pick up a phone? I'd hope most people would report reasonable suspicions to the appropriate authority. Some of the worst child abuse cases are ignored by those who have come in contact with the child -- because they are MTOB.

Child and Adult Protective Services spend a lot of time trying to educate the general public and Mandated Reporter on signs and symptoms of abuse -- and some of them are subtle. Sure, some reports by the general public and Mandated Reporters are not substantiated (as abuse) and understandably upset innocent parents and caregivers, but I think it is better to be safe than sorry.

This thread seems to be taking a "CPS is evil" and "police are pigs" direction, which makes me very sad. Sure, neither institutions are perfect, but there are many skilled, sensitive, professional and dedicated individuals doing these thankless jobs without proper appreciation.

Some of the signs and symptoms of abuse from www.childabuse.com. My emphasis.

"When you have concerns for a child's well-being, the indicators listed below may help guide you in your thought process. Many of these "symptoms" or "signs" could be caused by things other than abuse or neglect. Generally, these indicators do indicate that a child's safety may be at risk and, at the very least, the situation should be assessed by a professional able to determine the causes of these symptoms and offer the help and assistance necessary to reduce the risk to a child.

Signs of Physical Abuse
Physical Indicators
Unexplained bruises and welts on the face, throat, upper arms, buttocks, thighs or lower back in unusual patterns or shapes which suggests the use of an instrument (belt buckle, electric cord) on an infant in various stages of healing regularly appear after absence, weekend, or vacation
Unexplained burns cigarette burns, especially found on palms, soles of feet, abdomen, buttocks immersion burns producing "stocking" or "Glove" demarcations on hands and feet; "doughnut shaped" on buttocks or genital area
rope burns
infected burns indicating delay in treatment burns in the shape of common household utensils or appliances

Behavioral Indicators
behavioral extremes (withdrawal, aggression, regression, depression)
inappropriate or excessive fear of parent or caretaker
antisocial behavior such as substance abuse, truancy, running away fear of going home
unbelievable or inconsistent explanation for injuries
lies unusually still while surveying surroundings (for infants)
unusual shyness, wariness of physical contact

Signs of Sexual Abuse

Physical Indicators
torn, stained or bloody underclothes
frequent, unexplained sore throats, yeast or urinary infections
somatic complaints, including pain and irritation of the genitals
sexually transmitted diseases
bruises or bleeding from external genitalia, ****** or anal region
pregnancy

Behavioral Indicators
the victim's disclosure of sexual abuse
regressive behaviors (thumb-sucking, bedwetting, fear of the dark)
promiscuity or seductive behaviors
disturbed sleep patterns (recurrent nightmares)
unusual and age-inappropriate interest in sexual matters
avoidance of undressing or wearing extra layers of clothes
sudden decline in school performance, truancy
difficulty in walking or sitting

Signs of Emotional Abuse
Physical Indicators
eating disorders, including obesity or anorexia
speech disorders (stuttering, stammering)
developmental delays in the acquisition of speech or motor skills
weight or height level substantially below norm
flat or bald spots on head (infants)
nervous disorders (rashes, hives, facial tics, stomach aches)

Behavioral Indicators
habit disorders (biting, rocking, head-banging)
cruel behavior, seeming to get pleasure from hurting children, adults or animals; seeming to get pleasure from being mistreated
age-inappropriate behaviors (bedwetting, wetting, soiling)
behavioral extremes; overly compliant-demanding; withdrawn-aggressive; listless-excitable


Signs of Neglect
Physical Indicators
poor hygiene, including lice, scabies, severe or untreated diaper rash, bedsores, body odor
squinting
unsuitable clothing; missing key articles of clothing (underwear, socks shoes); overdressed or underdressed for climate conditions
untreated injury or illness
lack of immunizations
indicators or prolonged exposure to elements (excessive sunburn, insect bites, colds)
height and weight significantly below age level

Behavioral Indicators
unusual school attendance
chronic absenteeism
chronic hunger, tiredness, or lethargy
begging or collecting leftovers
assuming adult responsibilities
reporting no caretaker at home

How Can I Tell If A Child May Be Abused or Neglected?
It is not necessary that you decide if a child is abused or neglected. Child abuse and neglect are not always easy to identify. For example, bruises may or may not have been caused by abuse. A child coming to school with head lice or dirty clothes may or may not be due to neglect.

Yet, hundreds of people across the country are charged with the duty to be aware of the children they see and work with daily, and to report suspicions of child abuse, neglect, or dependency.

Your interaction with so many children, your professional training regarding child development, and your innate sense of a child's well-being, gives you the ability and responsibility to protect children from abuse and neglect.

Recognizing a child in need of protection goes beyond the legal definitions of abuse, neglect and dependency.
It is an accumulation of everything you know and sense about a child or a situation. Recognition does not always come about in a concrete way. It can be an inner voice that tells you that something is just not right. That's when you should call Children's Services.

. . .

So, Do I Need To Investigate A Suspected Case Before I Report It, To Make Sure It Meets The Legal Definitions?
You do not have to investigate to make sure your referral is valid, or that it complies with legal definitions. When you suspect a child's welfare is jeopardized, and make a referral to Children Services, you help us identify the potential need for our services.

Your feeling that something just isn't right with a child is sufficient to warrant your call to Child Protective Services. The agency, then, uses the investigative and legal process to manage your referral and possibly open a case."

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

It is very unusual for abuse to take place in public so this is a cop-out. IMO.

As long as you realize that it is only your opinion. We can agree to disagree.

 

[walden]

As long as you realize that it is only your opinion. We can agree to disagree.

So long as you can realise that mine is an educated opinion based on many years of experience as a social worker, 10 of which were in Protective Services before I "burned out." I saw cases that would make your hair curl and turn white, make experienced workers and police officers vomit, and make everyone involved in interventions wonder at the lack of humanity of neighbors and family members who failed to report egregious situations . . .

I'll agree that you have the right to ignore suspicious situations. It is your conscience and your abdication of responsibility for the welfare of children. Sigh.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

So long as you can realise that mine is an educated opinion..

LOL - thanks - mine is an educated decision based on having walked this earth and raised my own children. You may be surprised to learn that I value my opinion more than yours.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Excellent posts, walden.

I was just equating the notion that citizens should be sitting around tattling to the police or anyone on their fellow citizens without proof of something as a dangerous notion IMO.

Think of it this way: Reporting is not meant to be punitive. It simply suggests evaluation.

 

[walden]

LOL - thanks - mine is an educated decision based on having walked this earth and raised my own children. You may be surprised to learn that I value my opinion more than yours.

No, I'm not surprised at all, believe it or not. Having read this thread, you do seem to fall into the category of those who seem to have a beef with the police and "authority", but also seem to demonstrate reasonably good sense generally. So, if you look at the signs and symptoms I posted above properly -- which, if any, would make you pick up a phone and call the authorities?

Seriously, I've come across your attitude too many times before -- while having walked this earth and raised my own children too! This grandma doesn't need to be told how to suck eggs and has come across many different types of people. I'm more amused by seeming arrogance than surprised by it. Want to convince me that you are not arrogant by answering my question having given it more thought?

 

[Colleen27]

For those that don't agree with mandatory reporting, what do you think will work better? Obviously too many children were not being protected before.

I don't think that's necessarily true. Often these sorts of things arise out of a single high profile case or a cluster of them, even though they apply to few situations (look at the drop-side crib thread for an illustration of this - 30 deaths in a decade's time, virtually all of them attributable to a single (new, cheaper) design, was justification for banning a product that has been in use for many decades). When it comes to kids, there's a "one case is too many" mindset that can take over at times, resulting in emotionally satisfying but not necessarily rational responses to tragic circumstances.

I think the mandatory nature of mandatory reporting, particularly with the penalties that back it up, are designed in such a way as to override basic judgment and common sense. I agree that there is a moral and ethical obligation to report situations that appear to be abusive, but when you make that a legal obligation the fear of consequences clouds common sense. So you have medical professionals who surely know that bruises on the legs are completely normal for a 7yo kid making the report anyway because if they don't and it turns out later that the kid is abused they're on the hook and their careers are on the line.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

... So, if you look at the signs and symptoms I posted above properly -- which, if any, would make you pick up a phone and call the authorities?...

A number would, but for me to see a child enough to actually recognize most of the things listed, I would have to have a relationship with said child. Since I am friends or relatives with every child that meets that criteria, I would almost certainly take it to their parents first. Now, if I didn't get a satisfactory answer, you bet I would call the police, but I know these kids and their families. It wouldn't be a CYA call, it would be a last ditch effort to protect a child that really needs it.

Read the list. How would I know if a bruise was "unexplained"? How would I become aware of a sleeping disorder? They ask you to recognize things that one simply could not without some sort of relationship or special training.

That is why I believe that people should, by and large, mind their own business. How can a stranger see these things in a child that they see on the playground one time? There are many reasonable explanations for every one of those things without context.

 

[luvsJack]

I don't think that's necessarily true. Often these sorts of things arise out of a single high profile case or a cluster of them, even though they apply to few situations (look at the drop-side crib thread for an illustration of this - 30 deaths in a decade's time, virtually all of them attributable to a single (new, cheaper) design, was justification for banning a product that has been in use for many decades). When it comes to kids, there's a "one case is too many" mindset that can take over at times, resulting in emotionally satisfying but not necessarily rational responses to tragic circumstances.

I think the mandatory nature of mandatory reporting, particularly with the penalties that back it up, are designed in such a way as to override basic judgment and common sense. I agree that there is a moral and ethical obligation to report situations that appear to be abusive, but when you make that a legal obligation the fear of consequences clouds common sense. So you have medical professionals who surely know that bruises on the legs are completely normal for a 7yo kid making the report anyway because if they don't and it turns out later that the kid is abused they're on the hook and their careers are on the line.

In a perfect world, people would report suspected abuse out of ethical or moral obligations. But we are far from a perfect world. Too many people would prefer to stick their head in the sand out of fear of stirring a pot or insulting someone.

The welfare of a child comes first. If that steps on parents toes, so be it. Like I said, I had two parents reported. Neither had their career on the line. One reported herself and got the help she needed. The other THANKED me for reporting the suspected abuse. He felt safe in the fact that his daughter was protected.

 

[FireDancer]

Think of it this way: Reporting is not meant to be punitive. It simply suggests evaluation.

Right, an unsubstantiated report never has any negative consequences which whether they are meant to be or not end up being punitive. I will just not participate thank you very much. You are free to if you choose.

The only ethical or moral obligation I feel is not to abuse anyone, child or adult, and I don't so my conscience is clear.

 

[Magpie]

I don't think that's necessarily true. Often these sorts of things arise out of a single high profile case or a cluster of them, even though they apply to few situations (look at the drop-side crib thread for an illustration of this - 30 deaths in a decade's time, virtually all of them attributable to a single (new, cheaper) design, was justification for banning a product that has been in use for many decades). When it comes to kids, there's a "one case is too many" mindset that can take over at times, resulting in emotionally satisfying but not necessarily rational responses to tragic circumstances.

I think the mandatory nature of mandatory reporting, particularly with the penalties that back it up, are designed in such a way as to override basic judgment and common sense. I agree that there is a moral and ethical obligation to report situations that appear to be abusive, but when you make that a legal obligation the fear of consequences clouds common sense. So you have medical professionals who surely know that bruises on the legs are completely normal for a 7yo kid making the report anyway because if they don't and it turns out later that the kid is abused they're on the hook and their careers are on the line.

How often does this scenario ever happen?

When my daughter was 9 months old, our midwife noticed she had a lot of bruises on her face. She asked me about them while my daughter played on the floor at our feet. As I was explaining that the child had just started walking a couple weeks earlier, my daughter suddenly stood up and toppled head-first into the table. The midwife laughed, and didn't ask again.

My husband and his brother brought our daughter in to Emergency on Christmas Eve, bleeding from her ears. They were asked several times if she "bumped her head" or "fell down" or had any other kind of accident. They witnessed the nurses making phone calls (presumably to other hospitals to check if the child had a history of injury) and a nurse stayed nearby keeping an eye on them until a doctor walked up, looked into my daughter's ear and said, "My, that's quite the raging ear infection!" At which point, all interest ceased, and my husband was sent on his way with a prescription for our daughter. Were we offended? Of course not!

I have a friend whose son has severe anxiety issues. Several years ago, when he was in Preschool, he not only told his teacher that he wanted to die, he told her how he planned to kill himself! The teacher, quite sensibly, called the Children's Aid Society. The Children's Aid Society contacted my friend, who told them that she was aware of the problem and she had the boy in therapy. They stopped by for one visit to talk to the family, and were satisfied that my friend was dealing with things as well as anyone could. Then the social worker proceeded to contact the teacher and facilitate better communication between the school and the family. My friend was not offended, either.

Another time a friend of mine discovered to her shock that a close relative had married a sex offender. Because this man had been in contact with her children, in violation of his terms of release, social workers interviewed her kids. The teenagers were interviewed alone, while the younger kids were interviewed with their mom. Again, the Children's Aid Society was satisfied that she was a responsible parent, and the children weren't in any danger. This friend was angrier about the fact that her relative had married this man, than about being visited by the CAS.

Both these last two cases happened over a decade ago. There have been no negative repercussions to being visited by the CAS.

I'm sure there are abuses, as there are in any system, but I haven't seen them. What I've seen in my life has been people acting sensibly and responsibly.

 

[walden]

Excellent posts, walden.



Think of it this way: Reporting is not meant to be punitive. It simply suggests evaluation.

Why, thanks!

And, yes, it is an evaluation -- for the good of the child.

A number would, but for me to see a child enough to actually recognize most of the things listed, I would have to have a relationship with said child. Since I am friends or relatives with every child that meets that criteria, I would almost certainly take it to their parents first. Now, if I didn't get a satisfactory answer, you bet I would call the police, but I know these kids and their families. It wouldn't be a CYA call, it would be a last ditch effort to protect a child that really needs it.

Read the list. How would I know if a bruise was "unexplained"? How would I become aware of a sleeping disorder? They ask you to recognize things that one simply could not without some sort of relationship or special training.

That is why I believe that people should, by and large, mind their own business. How can a stranger see these things in a child that they see on the playground one time? There are many reasonable explanations for every one of those things without context.

Thank you for responding to my question. I knew we could have a good discussion about this -- and you are not at all arrogant!

Please understand -- that list is meant as a catch all and is aimed at mandated reporters as well as the general public. A neighbor might pick up on some symptoms, a teacher on others, a doctor on more. No-one could possibly pick up on them all -- that is the job of Protective Services durinf the investigation. Not your job or responsibility.

The bottom-line message is -- everyone should keep alert! You do not have to pick up on all the symptoms or investigate any of them beyond where you are comfortable in asking reasonable questions. Leave the hard questions to a trained professional.

What many people do not know is that anyone can consult with Protective Services without making an actual referral/report. I am obviously talking about non-emergency, non-imminent risk of death situations here.

What these lists are supposed to do is educate people. You, as a neighbor or observer sees something a little "off". Your first instinct would be to contact the parent and use your own judgement. That is fine. If you were not satisfied with the response or, say, the child had repeated injuries and you don't like it -- that might make you think a little harder.

So now consult. Call CPS and say "I am seeing something that makes me feel uneasy. These are the details. Should this be a report because I am not sure it reaches the threshold of a reportable condition?" CPS does advise and discuss without demanding names and addresses, but if you are told that it is a "reportable condition" please do spill the beans. Remember, the name of the reporter is always kept confidential.

In a perfect world, people would report suspected abuse out of ethical or moral obligations. But we are far from a perfect world. Too many people would prefer to stick their head in the sand out of fear of stirring a pot or insulting someone.

The welfare of a child comes first. If that steps on parents toes, so be it. Like I said, I had two parents reported. Neither had their career on the line. One reported herself and got the help she needed. The other THANKED me for reporting the suspected abuse. He felt safe in the fact that his daughter was protected.

Yeah, it is far from a perfect world. Those are two great examples though of how CPS should work.

To be truthful, I'm in two minds about mandated reporting myself. I'd like to believe that people would report out of simple concern for children and good sense, but sadly so many don't. Being legally required to report raises professional hackles.

Mandated reporters all to often resent the obligation -- or conversely sometimes get overly knee-jerk in reporting tiny things. That is why I emphasise that the simple consult is so important. Protective Services is underfunded and overwhelmed by cases of abuse that would boggle your mind, but anyone who is uneasy should never hesitate to ask the questions.

Interesting discussion anyway. I have to say -- I am so glad I am retired, even though I still regard myself as a mandated reporter.