A Day in The Life

of a Mandated
Reporter
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Client information
Age___________ Gender___________ Address_______________
Phone Number______________________________
List Concerns
__________________________________________________________
____
__________________________________________________________
_____
__________________________________________________________
_____
__________________________________________________________
_____
To make a mandated report, call CPS or APS.
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Janelle Barton

Child Protective
-------------------------------- Services
Case Manager Jones
(XXX) XXX-XXXX
jonesiscool@DSHS.or
g

Employee
Handbook

Note For 10/15/14:

As an advocate at
Domestic Violence
and Sexual Assault
Services, by law I am a
Mandated Reporter

And you probably know that if I

suspect , hear about or see the
abuse of a child under 18 or a
vulnerable adult,

I Have to Report it
Either to Child Protective
Services or Adult Protective
Services.

Its been a busy day in

the office, and Ive
encountered 3
situations where I felt
like I might need to
make a report to CPS!

Attached you will find

my work log for today,
summarizing the details
of these situations...

Could you take a look

and help me decide if I
should make a
report?
Thanks,
Janelle

Situation 1:
Trouble on Tumblr

9:00 am, 10/15/14

A client calls because they
have concerns about their
childs other parents
behavior.
Apparently, the other parent
has been posting
inappropriate pictures to
their tumblr account

 And the clients child can

see every picture their
parent posts Including the
X-rated ones.
Because of these pictures,
My client worries that this
parents behavior around
their child could be more
than inappropriate.

Do I need to make a
report to CPS?

Situation 2
Story Slip-Up

12:00 pm, 10/15/14

I am talking to a client in the
office and they are telling
me about their abusive
partner.
The client has two children
and a joint custody
agreement with the
abuser

My client tells me that

sometimes the children have
bruises all over their bodies
when they come back from
staying with the abuser.
When asked, the children
wont say where the bruises
come from.

Upon hearing this, I begin to

express my concerns about the
safety of the children

And it seems my client

suddenly remembers the

part they had read in our

confidentiality agreement
that says I am a mandated
reporter.

My client takes back their

story, and pleads with me
not to make a CPS Report
because they dont want
their kids to be taken away
from them.

Do I need to make a report

to CPS?

Situation 3:
The Concerned
Neighbor

3:00 pm, 10/15/14

I get a call from an individual
who says they live next-door to
a couple that is known around
the neighborhood to struggle
with alcoholism

The worst thing is that this

couple has a new-born baby.

The client says that they

have heard the baby cry for
hours without any sign of its
parents responding.
The client also notices the infant
does not have a proper car-seat
and has seen the parents speed
down the street with their child
in the car.

Do I need to make a
report to CPS?

Concluding Note 10/15/14:

Though some situations are
muddy as to whether or not I
should make a report,
I think the bottom line is even
though I might not always
have to make a report.
If Im concerned,
I can make one anyway!