1. Educators who suspect child abuse or neglect are required by law to report it to the Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS will assess the safety of the child and determine if an investigation is needed. 2. When making a report, educators should provide accurate details about the nature of the abuse, names and locations of those involved, and the child's age. The report and resulting assessment are confidential. 3. After reporting, educators may learn if the case was screened out or assigned for investigation but are not entitled to details. Their role is to identify any suspicion of abuse and make the required report to DHS.

1. Child Abuse and Neglect
Training for Educators, Part 3
Child Abuse and Neglect:
What are Educators to
Do?
Fran Roberson, LCSW, LMFT
Center for Children and Families,
Inc.
Norman, Oklahoma

2. Action Steps
3. Respond to the child or youth.
5. Report to the appropriate
authorities as required by law.

3. Responding to the Child or
Youth
You first must know
that:
• The child
demonstrates
incredible strength.
• You the listener are
honored with the trust
the child shows.
• You will need to
respond with
heightened sensitivity.

4. Guidelines Include:
• Listen, really listen, to what is being
told to you.
• Reassure the child that he/she has
done the right thing by telling you.
• Keep your own feelings under
control.
• Use the child’s own vocabulary.

5. Guidelines Include:
• Do NOT promise not to tell.
• Tell the truth.
• Be specific.
• Assess the child’s immediate safety.
• Be supportive.
• Try to help the child regain control.

6. And for you the listener . . .
• Be aware of
secondary trauma
and take care of
yourself.
• Know that you
have done your
part, and that you
may have little
control beyond this
point.

7. Reporting to Authorities as
Required by Law
State law requires every
person who has
reason to believe that
a child under 18 is
being abused or
neglected or is in
danger of being
abused or neglected,
to report the
suspicion of abuse
promptly to the
Department of Human
Services.

8. Failure to Report Suspected
Abuse or Neglect
• Is a crime.
• No person is exempt from reporting
suspected abuse.
• A person reporting in good faith is
immune from both civil and criminal
liability.
• By law, reporting child abuse is an
individual responsibility.

9. What happens when I make
a report to the Department
of Human Services?

10. A Report of Suspicion of
Child Abuse or Neglect is . .
• A request for an
assessment to
determine safety or
lack of safety for the
child.
• The person reporting
does not need proof to
report.
• Assessment and
validation of reports
are the job of DHS or
Law Enforcement.

11. Is My Report Confidential?
• Yes. DHS policy and state law
require strict maintenance of the
confidentiality of reports of child
abuse and neglect.

12. How Do I Make a Report of
Suspicion of Child Abuse or
Neglect
• Contact DHS, Child Welfare Services
in the county where the child is
located, or
• Call the 24-hour hotline number:
1.800.522.3511

13. What’s Important . . .
• It is critical to accurately reflect the nature
and extent of the abuse or neglect.
• Names, addresses and whereabouts of the
child and the child’s caregivers.
• Child’s age.
• Any positive test on the child for alcohol or
other substances.
• Any other information regarding cause of
injury or identity of responsible persons.

15. What Happens After I Make A
Report of Suspected Child
Abuse or Neglect?
Report is screened:
• Does it meet statutory requirements?
• Does it fall within the scope of DHS
responsibility?
• If not screened out, there will be an
assessment to explore the safety or
lack of safety for the child.

16. Assignments for assessment are
based on the potential risk to the
children named in the report.
There are 2 priority levels:
• Priority One: indicates the child is in imminent
danger of serious physical injury. Allegations of abuse
and neglect may be severe and conditions extreme.
The situation is responded to immediately, the same
day of receipt of the report. If a complete assessment
is not possible, a safety measure is put in place to
ensure the child’s protection.

17. • (Priority One continued) A safety measure is an
action taken that protects the child, such as
protective child care, perpetrator leaves the
home, or other similar protective actions.
• Priority Two: indicates there is no imminent
danger of serious injury but without intervention
and safety measures it is likely the child will not
be safe. Priority two assessments are initiated
within two to 15 calendar days from the date the
report is accepted for assessment.

18. In addition . . . .
Reports that meet the criteria
for “serious abuse and
neglect”, will be investigated.

19. After a report is accepted
for assessment . .
• Child is seen first.
• Information is
gathered.
• Family is
interviewed.
• Others may also
be interviewed

20. Assessments
• There are no findings for
assessments.
• Safety plans are developed as
determined after assessments.

21. A determination is made on
findings from an investigation:
• Ruled out
• Unsubstantiated, services
recommended.
• Substantiated, services
recommended.
• Substantiated, court intervention
recommended.

22. The District Attorney
will receive
investigative findings
and results of
assessments.
Note: The District Attorney makes the
decision about court mandated services
based on DHS findings and their
recommendations.

23. So, I reported suspicion of CAN
. . .what info can I learn about
the results of my report?
• If the case was assigned for assessment or
investigation or was screened out.
• If screened out, the reason for this
decision.
• If assigned for investigation, investigative
findings can be shared.
You are not entitled to details of the
investigation or assessment.

24. Special Reporting Issues
Related to Schools
• State law specifies that schools are
not responsible for notifying parents
that a child was interviewed at
school regarding a CAN report. The
task for notifying parents is the
responsibility of DHS.

25. Special Reporting Issues
Related to Schools
School personnel, as well as medical,
public health, mental health professionals,
or any other professional person
interacting with children should NOT
delve into a child’s situation beyond
determining whether there is a reason to
believe the child is being abused or
neglected or is in danger of being abused
or neglected.
Educators’ task is to identify the suspicion of
abuse or neglect in order to report to DHS.

26. Oklahoma Law is very clear that
professionals who maintain strict
ethical guidelines related to
confidentiality are required to
report child abuse and neglect
just as every other person in the
state.
Duty to Report supercedes
professional confidentiality
codes when there is reason
to believe that a child is
abused or neglected.

27. Additional facts for you to
know . . .
• Law enforcement is the only entity
that can take a child into protective
custody. Law enforcement and the
Department of Human Services
(DHS) work together when a child
must be removed from a home. This
action also requires a court order.

28. And . . .
• If you are unsatisfied with the way a
report/assessment was handled, it is
critical to provide feedback through
the supervision structure of an
investigating agency, i.e., the
county’s child welfare supervisor,
then follow the chain of command to
County Director, etc.
• Law enforcement also has a chain of
command.

29. Contact Fran Roberson at
the Center for Children and
Families, Inc. for further
questions or concerns.
froberson@ccfinorman.org
405.364.1420