Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect: A Practical Guide for Social Workers

by Kenneth Lau LCSW, Kathryn Krase JD, LCSW, Richard H. Morse LMSW

Overview

"[A] concise and detailed description of a very complex issue...rich in detail and insight."
--Leslie J. Temme, LCSW
School of Social Work, Adelphi University

"[A] 'must have' resource for practicing professionals and an invaluable teaching tool for social work students....This is precisely the book that mandated reporters seek to assist in the reporting process and understanding their legal obligations."
--Keva M. Miller, PhD, LCSW
School of Social Work, Portland State University

In all states, social workers are required to report suspected child abuse and neglect, and face serious penalties if they fail to do so. But not all cases of abuse are obvious. Mandated reporters are thus confronted with a host of both legal and ethical quandaries when filing a report:

• What are the responsibilities of mandated reporters?
• What are appropriate grounds for reporting abuse?
• How and when should a report be made?
• Does reporting suspected abuse violate client confidentiality?
• What if my employer encourages me not to report my suspicions?

Addressing these questions and more, this book provides clear definitions of different types of child abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional, and delineates guidelines on how to identify risk factors and signs of child maltreatment.

The authors also clarify difficult ethical issues, including client confidentiality and privileged communication, and present numerous case studies and theoretical vignettes culled from their own experiences as social workers. This guide will be the one resource mandated reporters and social work students cannot do without.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826117823
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	12/02/2008
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	328
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Kenneth J. Lau, LCSW, is on the training faculty for the New York State Children's Justice Task Force Forensic Best Practice Training. Lau is Program Director of Children FIRST at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. Children FIRST (the Children and Families Institute for Research, Support and Training) is committed to advancing the welfare of children and families in the social service system. Lau also teaches classes at Fordham on interpersonal trauma and the identification and reporting of child abuse.

Kathryn Krase, JD, MSW, is the chairperson of Fordham's Mandated Reporting Project, and has testified at governmental hearings on the current state of mandated reporting. She is the Clinical Social Work Supervisor for New York University Law School's Family Defense Clinic. She also teaches Social Work and the Law, Social Policy, and Social Justice at Fordham's Graduate School of Social Service.

Richard H. Morse, LMSW, worked for the Suffolk County Department of Social Services for nearly 40 years. He is an adjunct professor at Suffolk County Community College, where he teaches several psychology courses.

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Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
1Introduction to Mandated Reporting
2The Social Worker as Mandated Reporter
3Defining Child Abuse and Neglect
4Risk Factors: The Potential for Child Abuse and Neglect
5Signs of Abuse and Neglect
6When Is a Report Required?
7How To Make a Report
8After the Report: What Happens Next?
9Legal and Ethical Decisions in Mandating Report
10Legal Protections and Consequences for Mandated Reporters
11The Role of Law Enforcement in the Protection of Children
Appendix ASummary of State Laws and Resources
Appendix BList of Relevant Internet Resources
Appendix CGlossary
Index