All states require certain professionals and institutions to report suspected child abuse, including health care providers and facilities of all types, mental health care providers of all types, teachers and other school personnel, social workers, day care providers and law enforcement personnel. Many states require film developers to report.
Northview Preschool or a staff member shall document and report all suspected or alleged cases of child abuse or neglect.
- Northview Preschool or a staff member shall report the suspected or alleged child abuse or neglect to child protective services or to a local law enforcement agency as prescribed in Indiana Code Ann & 31-33-5. The Director or staff member shall notify the Department of the suspected or alleged child abuse or neglect by any means available within 24 hours of the required report. Northview Preschool shall also send written documentation to the Department, Child Protective Services, and any local law enforcement agency previously notified within 3 days of the initial report, and maintain written documentation of a child abuse or neglect report on facility premises for 12 months from the date of a report.
Reports shall be made by telephone or in person followed by a written report within seventy-two hours. The report shall contain:
- The names and addresses of the minor and the minor’s parents or the person or persons having custody of the minor, if known.
- The minor’s age and the nature and extent of the minor’s injuries or physical neglect, including any evidence of previous injuries or physical neglect.
- Any other information that the person believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injury or physical neglect.
Any mandatory reporter who knowingly and willfully fails to report a suspected case of child abuse is guilty of class 1 misdemeanor.
Any mandatory reporter who in good faith makes a report of child abuse or participates in the investigation of a child abuse has immunity from any liability, civil or criminal. Records and/or information pertaining to the abuse may be released to the child abuse investigator without releases required in other situations.
To report child abuse anytime, day or night, call:
1-800-800-5556
Call and report each incident within 24 hours of the awareness of possible abuse/neglect.
Mandatory Reporting Facts
CAPTA mandates "minimum definitions" for child abuse and sexual abuse. Child abuse or neglect is any recent act or failure to act:
- Resulting in imminent risk of serious harm, death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation.
- Of a child (usually a person under the age of 18, but a younger age may be specified in cases not involving sexual abuse.)
- By a parent or caretaker who is responsible for the child's welfare.
Sexual abuse is defined as:
Employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or any simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct; or rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.