ACS - Mandated Reporters

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Mandated Reporters

Are you a Mandated Reporter?
Responsibilities
Reasonable Cause
How to Make a Report
Important Facts
ACS Office of Safety First
Additional Resources for Mandated Reporters

Are you a Mandated Reporter?

Mandated reporters often have frequent contact with children and have an early opportunity to help them get the intervention, support, and services they need to stay safe and well.

Certain professionals such as doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers, and child care center workers are mandated by New York State law to report suspected child abuse and neglect to the state hotline, the New York State Central Register (SCR).

Go to the full list of Mandated Reporters

Read the law

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Responsibilities

As a mandated reporter you must immediately make a report or cause a report to be made (for example: ensuring that a supervisor makes the report), when in your professional role you are presented with reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect.

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Reasonable Cause

“Reasonable cause” to suspect child abuse or neglect means that based on your observations of the evidence, professional training and experience you believe that the parent or legal guardian has harmed or placed a child in danger of being harmed.

Important Facts

Confidentiality
The Social Services Law provides confidentiality for all sources, including mandated reporters of child abuse and maltreatment reports.
Penalties for failure to report
Mandated reporters who fail to report suspected abuse or neglect can be charged with a crime.
Immunity from liability
The Child Protective Service Act states that “any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in...the making of a report...pursuant to this title shall have immunity from any liability, civil or criminal that might otherwise result by reason of such actions.”
Malicious and false reporting is against the law

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The Office of Safety First is a hotline for mandated reporters to help maintain clear and direct lines of communication between the mandated reporter and ACS staff.

ACS Office of Safety First Liaisons:

Connect mandated reporters to the assigned Child Protective Specialist(s) after a report has been made, or when there is further need for assistance pertaining to a case.
Help evaluate the progress of an investigation and address additional safety concerns.
Work with all interested parties until the concerns are resolved.

The Office of Safety First cannot accept child abuse and neglect reports. All reports must be made to the NY State Central Register Mandated Reporter Hotline, or call 911 if you believe a child is in immediate danger.