Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Always thought we were mandated to report ANY suspected abuse or neglect but was just told at a class put on by child protection and dc licensing that it relates ONLY to children in our care.
Which does not mean that it can't be reported. It seems appropriate and necessary to report this case. There may be no one else who realizes those children are alone.
I've been told a similar thing - we are mandated to report what happens during our business hours to our dc kids. Our presenter (A NYSP investigator) even gave an example of seeing a client on a weekend behave toward their child in an abusive fashion - and NOT being mandated to report that. He did point out that we had a moral obligation though.
But I do cringe when the mandated reporter card is played, because often it's made to seem as though it's like a 007 - anytime, anywhere, with implied threats to the OP that "if you don't..." In our state there are two numbers to call, one is IF you are a mandated reporter in THAT case and the second is for the general public. We were told we can only call the mandated reporter line when we were actually "on" as a mandated reporter.
And honestly, leaving YOUR OWN kids home to pop to the bus stop (while STUPID considering the ages) wouldn't be considered abuse or neglect in most states - especially if they don't have laws regarding the ages kids could be home alone. We had a woman leave her sleeping kids home while she supposedly ran to a neighbors to borrow sugar, while she was gone the home caught fire, killing her kids. She was NOT charged for leaving the kids home alone. Even though popular opinion wanted her to hang, there is no law in my state about ages of kids being left alone, so there is some precedence here.
I would be more inclined to turn her into licensing for operating illegally. That IS something she will get in trouble for.