Mandated Supporting Training

 

The current structure of mandated reporting in New York State fails to protect and serve children and families. Instead, mandated reporting is the first step in the pipeline into the harmful family policing system. In the eyes of the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), New York State’s family policing agency, being unable to provide food, clothing and shelter are seen as signs of child neglect. This broad category of neglect accounts for 76% of all “child maltreatment” allegations made to New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). About two-thirds of reports to the Statewide Central Registry (SCR) are made by mandated reporters—“certain professionals mandated by New York State law to report suspected child abuse and neglect.” The current structure does not hold space for parents to ask for support, advocate for their children’s needs, struggle with societal conditions of poverty and racism, discuss family conflict, concerns and challenges—or make mistakes, as all people do.  

Schools, hospitals, daycare providers, social workers and law enforcement 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), which breeds families’ distrust of doctors, nurses, police officers,  teachers, school counselors and other school personnel. Schools are responsible for the highest number of the SCR reports made about NYC families, social services is the second highest, law enforcement is third highest and medical/mental health services are the fourth highest. It is significant that a lot of the reports end up unfounded– indication.  Schools are the number one source of harm in the community, rather than a safe space for families to access education, resources, information, support and community connections.  

Both mandated reporters and parents experience fear about mandated reporting, which fosters an environment of harm and punishment, rather than support. The threat of a call to ACS deters parents/families from seeking help, as they assume any sign of crisis will result in an SCR report. Mandated reporters are legally obligated to make reports and may do so out of fear of losing their professional licenses or being held accountable if a  child were to be harmed. 

Many mandated reporters are not aware of what an investigation entails and the long-term traumatic impact it has on families, and may even view the family policing system as a source of resources. Additionally, current mandated reporting laws are usually interpreted strictly, despite the fact that they leave room for discretion. Mandated reporters aren’t required to report risk—the law requires them to report suspected abuse or neglect. Professionals working in mandated reporter roles can connect families with support needs to resources, rather than reporting, and can speak out about the harm of mandated reporting.

 BLU is working toward the abolition of the family policing system, including an end to interpersonal violence. The following recommendations can serve as immediate stepping stones to invest in community harm reduction tools and to reduce the number of families experiencing system involvement. We pulled the following recommendations from Rise’s Par report. `
 

 To shrink the amount of calls to the child welfare hotline by mandated reporters parents are in the midst of creating a mandatory supporting training and resource guide for NYC Schools, hospitals and social service providers.