Policy

Tara Williss

03/11/2012

Suspected Child Abuse

·         Oklahoma Law will be implemented and is located in the Licensing Requirements for Child Care Centers page 83 Supplement II and is attached to this policy.

·         Supplement II outlines physical abuse, mental injury, sexual abuse, neglect and threatened harm.

·         Oklahoma statutes define child abuse as harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare by a person responsible for the child. This includes non – accidental physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or neglect (10 O.S Section 7102).

·         Any suspected child abuse is to be reported to the child abuse hotline at 1-800-522-3511. This is a confidential 24 hour a day number.

·         You are not required by law but should give reasonable consideration to report any suspected child abuse to administration in a confidential meeting as timely as possible once a suspicion of child abuse is identified. No other discussions of suspected child abuse are allowed to be discussed outside of confidential meetings with administration.

WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE?

What is the law?

Oklahoma statutes define child abuse as harm or threatened harm to a child’s health,

safety or welfare by a person responsible for the child. This includes non-accidental

physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, or neglect (Title 10, Section 7102).

·         Physical abuse is non-accidental physical injury to a child.

·         Mental Injury is an injury to a child’s psychological growth and development. It is caused by chronic pattern of behaviors, such as belittling, humiliating and ridiculing a child.

·         Sexual abuse, in general terms, includes any sexual activity between an adult and a child for the purpose of sexually stimulating the adult, the child, or others. Sexual abuse may also be committed by a person under the age of 18 when that person is either significantly older than the victim or is in a position of power or control over the child.

·         Neglect is the failure of a parent or caretaker to provide a child with basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, protection and supervision.

·         Threatened harm means a substantial risk of harm to the child. It may include acts or expressions of intent to inflict actual harm presently or in the future.

Who must report?

Every person, private citizen or professional, who has reason to believe that a child has

been abused, is mandated by law to promptly report suspected abuse. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor. A person making a report, in good faith, is immune from civil or criminal liability. The name of the reporter is kept confidential.

When to report?

A report should be made when there is a reasonable cause to believe that a child has

been abused or neglected or is in danger of being abused. A report of suspected abuse is a request for an investigation. Investigation of child abuse reports is the responsibility of Child Welfare workers and, when a crime may have been committed, law enforcement officials.

If other incidents of abuse occur after the initial report has been made, another report should be made.