Mandated Reporters
The California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, Penal Code Section 11164 et seq. (“the mandated reporter law”), identifies at least 46 categories of “mandated reporters.”
The law defines a mandated reporter by the position they hold. These positions, listed below, obligate mandated reporters to report reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect.
For public school districts, mandated reporters include the following positions:
Teacher.
Instructional aide.
Teacher’s aide/assistant.
Classified employee.
Administrative officer or supervisor of child welfare and attendance, or certificated pupil personnel employee.
Employee of a school district police or security department.Administrator of a public organization whose duties require direct contact with and supervision of children.
Employee of a county office of education whose duties bring the employee into contact with children on a regular basis.
Administrator of, or presenter of, or a counselor in, a child abuse prevention program in a public school.
Athletic coach, administrator, or athletic director employed by any public school that provides any combination of instruction for kindergarten, or grades 1–12, inclusive.
The importance of your role as a mandated reporter is difficult to overstate. As a public school employee, you are among those people in the best positions to ensure that children are not victims of abuse or neglect.