Pennsylvania Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Training for Mandated Reporters – 2 Hours

Course Purpose

To provide an overview of Pennsylvania child welfare laws, indicators for child abuse, and reporting requirements of suspected child abuse for mandated reporters in Pennsylvania.

Continuing Education Credit Designation

This educational activity is credited for 2 contact hours at completion of the activity.

Overview

Child abuse is a serious public health concern. It involves serious mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, serious physical neglect, and bodily injury, in the state of Pennsylvania to a child under the age of 18 by a parent, custodian, or caregiver that results in potential harm, harm, or a threat of harm. This independent study provides an overview of Pennsylvania child welfare laws, indicators for child abuse, and reporting requirements of suspected child abuse mandated for mandated reporters in Pennsylvania in order that they can recognize child abuse and feel more confident in the reporting process.

Objectives

Upon completion of this independent study, the learner will be able to:

1. The basis for reporting suspected child abuse is having “reasonable cause to suspect” a child is a victim of child abuse.
2. Nothing in the PA CPSL requires a person who has reasonable cause to suspect a child is a victim of child abuse to identify the type of abuse they are reporting when making a report of suspected child abuse.
3. The PA CPSL recognizes three key components of child abuse:
4. Child
5. Act or failure to act; Recent act; Recent act or failure to act; or A series of acts or failures to act
6. Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly
7. A mandated reporter enumerated under section 6311(a) of the PA CPSL (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse) must immediately make a report suspected child abuse to ChildLine, Pennsylvania’s 24/7 Child Abuse Hotline and Registry, by calling 1-800-932-0313 or electronically through the Child Welfare Portal, if they have reasonable cause to suspect a child is a victim of child abuse under any of the following circumstances:
8. The mandated reporter comes into contact with the child in the course of employment, occupation, and practice of a profession or through a regularly scheduled program, activity, or service.
9. The mandated reporter is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or training of the child, or is affiliated with an agency, institution, organization, school,
10. A person makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that an identifiable child is the victim of child abuse.
11. An individual 14 years of age or older makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that the individual has committed child abuse.
12. Nothing in section 6311 of the PA CPSL (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse) requires a child to come before the mandated reporter in order for the mandated reporter to make a report of suspected child abuse.

Who this course is for:

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, and other healthcare providers in any setting who want continuing education on Pennsylvania Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Training for Mandated Reporters – 2 Hours.

Course outline

46 sections · finish in any order across devices

1. 1

   Introduction

2. 2

   Child Protective Services (CPS)

3. 3

   General Protective Services (GPS)

4. 4

   (Act 54 of 2018)

5. 5

   Plan of Safe Care

6. 6

   Multidisciplinary Team

7. 7

   An individual under 18 years of age

8. 8

   Perpetrator

9. 9

   Child Abuse (23 Pa.C.S. § 6303)

10. 10

    Bodily Injury

11. 11

    Serious Mental Injury

12. 12

    Serious Physical Neglect

13. 13

    Sexual Abuse or Exploitation

14. 14

    Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons (Act 115 of 2016)

15. 15

    Severe forms of trafficking in persons (Act 115 of 2016)

16. 16

    Exclusions From Child Abuse

17. 17

    (a) Environmental Factors (23 Pa.C.S. § 6304)

18. 18

    (b) Practice of Religious Beliefs (23 Pa.C.S. § 6304)

19. 19

    (d) Rights of Parents (23 Pa.C.S. § 6304)

20. 20

    (f) Child-on-Child Contact (23 Pa.C.S. § 6304)

21. 21

    Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

22. 22

    Mandated Reporters

23. 23

    Basis to Report

24. 24

    Staff Members of Institutions, Etc.

25. 25

    Reasonable Cause to Suspect

26. 26

    Privileged Communications (23 Pa.C.S. § 6311.1)

27. 27

    In accordance with 23 Pa.C.S. § 6313, a mandated reporter

28. 28

    Contents of Report

29. 29

    Confirmation of Reports

30. 30

    Notice to Mandated Reporter

31. 31

    Applicability of Mental Health Procedures Act (23 Pa. C.S.§6313)

32. 32

    Confidentiality of Reports (23 Pa.C.S. § 6339)

33. 33

    Protecting Identity

34. 34

    General Rule

35. 35

    Basis for Relief

36. 36

    Applicability

37. 37

    Failure to Report or Refer

38. 38

    Continuing Course of Action

39. 39

    Multiple Offenses

40. 40

    Key Takeaways

41. 41

    Learning Exercise 1

42. 42

    Learning Exercise 2

43. 43

    Learning Exercise 2 Discussion

44. 44

    Learning Exercise 3

45. 45

    Learning Exercise 4

46. 46

    Learning Exercise 5

This Course Satisfies

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