As a social worker, dear reader, I am a mandatory reporter – I am obliged to report any suspected child abuse. I have thought about that from time to time, of course, but never so much as the past few weeks, when I’ve heard the father in the apartment below me yelling at someone. “Shut the f*ck up!” I’ve heard that several times, and one time I heard a booming sound after it, as though something (someone?) had fallen.
What is difficult for me, however, is determining whether or not this is something I need be concerned with. I am not a parent, and while I would like to believe that I wouldn’t speak to my child like that, the fact is, I don’t know what I would do as a mother. Though my father was abusive, it never took this form. My own mother never yelled at me like that.
I am at a loss. I don’t want to make trouble for someone who is doing nothing wrong, however, if a child is being abused, I don’t want to allow that to happen. At this point, I’m leaning towards not reporting...I know the school the child attends and I may bring it up with the teachers. Perhaps they have noticed things. Child abuse is nothing to joke about and this is a serious responsibility. I want to do it right.
Mandatory Reporting
By sahara - Posted on December 1st, 2008
or whatever child abuse reporting agency is in force in your area would take your report based on the information you shared her. They want you to have witnessed occurring or to have seen a physical mark, or have heard a child tell you what happened to them.
What you can do in the situation you describe is call the police for domestic violence. They will probably come and investigate. Nothing will probably happen at that time, but if you do it everytime it happens, the police keep record of those calls., or the dad will stop acting that way.
What happens is when you really do have more substantial evidence that physical abuse is occurring, the records of all those calls to the police will make the situation more of a priority to CPS, or again, whatever agency is in place in your area.
"Consistency is not a human trait" - Maude, from Harold and Maude
I think that you're right. I've looked on the DCFS website re: calling and what kind of information they would want, and they specified exactly things you mentioned - having seen a physical mark, having heard the child report it. Thanks for your post - that's part of the reason that I blogged re: this - I wanted feedback!
"Goodness is the only investment that never fails."
H.D.Thoreau http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sahara
I think turtlesuds is right that they won't actually be able to investigate the family based on the information you gave, but in my class on mandated reporting, one of the investigators from my area told us that any situation that gives you pause should be reported, because even if they can't investigate, it starts the file on the family. There are standards of severity before they can act on a complaint. All you know is that the dad is yelling at the kid like crazy, but maybe there is a teacher who has reported some strange bruises. Strange bruises aren't enough to get an investigation either (in most cities..case loads are too big), but combined with the report you gave, it might be enough to start an investigation. Also, if something tragic happens to that child, there is a paper trail of the father's behavior toward the child for the court case.
This investigator said that if you think you should report, always report. At least you'll know you did what you could.
"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
But I know that, at least in the least 90s in the state of Missouri, it possible - if a woman (person) didn't want to press charges re: a sexual assault but they still wanted it duly noted, it was possbile for them to go to the cops and just report that it had happened, w/o pressing charges, w/o the perpetrator even knowing about it. That way, if something happened in the future with this perp, there is would a record that this was a pattern for the person.
Is it kind of like that? I can call as a concerned citizen who heard this? I don't have a name, (what I've heard yelled) just an address. And it can just be duly noted?
"Goodness is the only investment that never fails."
H.D.Thoreau http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sahara
But I'm sure it varies from state to state, and maybe even from municipality to municipality. It can't hurt to call and find out. If they don't want you to call unless you have visibly witnessed abuse or its physical after effects, they'll tell you.
If you are a mandated reporter, you are mandated to report no matter what the relationship of the kid to you and not just on the job. I'm sure you know that. I'm just putting it out there for other readers who may happen upon this. It seems like an important point.
"Never go with a hippy to a second location."
~Jack Donaghy
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I would consider reporting the possible violence.
if not then at least go to the teachers and ask about the child.
it is definitely worth it.
Thanks for the feedback - I was hoping that people would write with ideas. My mother is a teacher and used to teach in this kid's district, so I know she can talk to people, get the information to the right people, those who can make observations.
Thanks again!
"Goodness is the only investment that never fails."
H.D.Thoreau http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sahara
Well, I know that when we were living in the apartment for three months, we were always making noise...Seven of us all in the little apartment and all of us are loud people...not to mention that the kids are used to being able to play outside whenever they want to...thus, we were loud...yelling, thumps, banging, screaming, fighting, the tv, etc was constant. However, nobody is abusive and there wasn't any physical stuff beyond the normal kid fights. However, if someone had sent for the police, my parents would have been really upset for other people interfering with our business (haha, they were always telling us not to be so loud cause otherwise, we'd end up with the police at our door) and us for making noise. So be careful and don't be too quick to judge ; )
RESPECT LIFE
http://progressiveu.org/blog/respectlife
"It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."
~Mother Teresa
This is exactly what scares me - that I'll butt into other people's business and make a mountain out of a molehill.
"Goodness is the only investment that never fails."
H.D.Thoreau http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sahara
unless I heard verbal abuse going at the same time, or actually heard blows followed by screaming. Plus, a person having the cops show up at their door who was not an abusive person might be a little miffed, but it's still a good social reminder that if you don't want others in your business, don't make it so loud that it becomes their business.
Consistency is not a human trait" - Maude, from Harold and Maude
I have to agree. It's better to call and piss them off for five minutes if you're wrong then to ignore it and have something bad going on.
Yeah, we tried to keep people quiet. : P However, if it's just people being too loud, they should call the people in charge of the apartments...not the police.
Possibly...however, we have an added thing since we home school and that's not always favorably viewed.
RESPECT LIFE
http://progressiveu.org/blog/respectlife
"It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."
~Mother Teresa
When you are writing a post, the first thing under "Reply" is a link for smileys :tongue:
"Consistency is not a human trait" - Maude, from Harold and Maude
Oh, jeez...wow, there are a lot of them LOL
RESPECT LIFE
http://progressiveu.org/blog/respectlife
"It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."
~Mother Teresa