Originally Posted by Play Care:
The way it was explained to me is that I am legally mandated to report during day care hours, for my dc kids. In *that* case, and that case *only* can I be held liable for NOT reporting. Obviously that doesn't cover moral or ethical responsibility
But I was specifically speaking to what I consider a common theme on this forum - when someone posts something similar to the OP, the "mandated reporter" card is played. More bothersome than that to me, is the subtle threats *I* sometimes perceive from some posters "you are a mandated reporter, and if you don't report it you will be found out" because we know some people on this forum taking pride in finding that kind of thing out, even when posting anon.
I don't believe the OP had a *legal* responsibility to call. I am GLAD she did.
Honestly think that when the "friend" told her she had left the kids home while she went to the bus stop or when the OP saw her crossing the street unsafely she should have said something immediately then. "Susan! I can't believe you would leave your kids home alone! That is so unsafe!" or even "Susan, I just want to tell you that it looks terribly unsafe when you have all the kids at the bus stop. Some of the other moms have even commented on it. Have you got your license yet? You have way too many kids if not. Our state is very strict about that."
I don't think reminding people that they are a mandated reporter is pulling a " card ".
It's serious. Not everyone knows that if know about something that is report worthy, you can be held liable. Officials may never find out, but it can happen. I know someone who it happened to. They didn't report but knew what was going on. They ended up getting slammed.
I think it this is something that needs to be taken very seriously.
The op made it sound like these kids were being put in danger for no necessary reason. If she is questioning weather she should make a call or no, she probably should. Worst comes to worst, they tell her it isn't report worthy. At least she did her part and is off the hook if anything were to come up.
Eta: in all my trainings and classes (one being a semester long child abuse class) I have always been told that as you mandated reporter, you are always required to report. It isn't dependent upon location or hours or specific children.