www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/clergymandated.pdfOnce on the page, there is a link on the right which tells the requirements for each state.Have you ever reported an incidence of child abuse or neglect to local police or other authorities? Doyl________________
That is a lot of pressure, I know people who would judge taking TV or a electronic device away from a child as abuse.I know others who would consider hickory stripes on little legs as abuse.True abuse, physical dramage should be reported, but ANYONE making the charges should do so after a pattern is proven. Once the report is made the government gets involved and possibly never let up. A parent making a mistake (experience speaking) should not be taken as a pattern, something done in ignorance could ruin a family for life.This is a very important, dangerous and touchy subject. Some real professional in that field have made mistakes.. ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
The majority of calls to the police/Child Protective Services were related to the church preschool/daycare operation. We are self-reporting in that any situation that could be construed as child-abuse (physical or sexual) was reported for investigation. This was the law as well as our policy.I have reported families from the congregation as well. When there was a complaint from someone, or a family member revealed the abuse, I found myself saying, I love being your pastor, but the best help we can give this child is to bring the authorities in. Better to lose a family from church than my ministry.I thought it was the law in every state – ministers being mandatory reporters – and child abuse, especially sexual abuse, in a family setting is one of the hardest situations for the victim to escape.