Child Abuse Reporting Protocol for Fulton County School

Child Abuse Reporting Protocol for Fulton County School System 9/18/2020

Mandated Reporters include, but are not limited to: • • Administrators Social Workers Bus Drivers Teachers Cafeteria Workers Counselors Custodians Professional Assistants 9/18/2020 Paraprofessionals Nurses Psychologists Bookkeepers Data Clerks Clinic Assistants School Resource Officers • Volunteers • •

“Reasonable Cause” • Anytime a school system employee/volunteer has reasonable cause to believe that a student is a victim of abuse, they are required by Board Policy and State law to immediately report. • “Reasonable Cause” is defined as a suspicion founded upon circumstances sufficiently strong to warrant a reasonable person to believe that something is true. 9/18/2020

Mandated Reporters • All suspected abuse must be reported to DFCS within 24 hours of hearing or observing abuse. • The state grants immunity for any civil or criminal liability to the person making a report based on the requirement that the report is made in good faith. • Mandated reporters cannot delegate their responsibility to report to others. 9/18/2020

Failure to Report • In Georgia, any person who is a mandated reporter and knowingly and willfully fails to report can be found guilty of a misdemeanor. • See Fulton County Board of Education Policy JGEB and Operating Guideline JM requirements for Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting in the Fulton County School System 9/18/2020

Georgia Child Abuse Registry In the event that there is a substantiated abuse case, the offender, provided that he or she is 13 years or older, will be placed on the Georgia Child Abuse registry unless the appellate process deems otherwise within a ten day period from the date of the substantiation of the abuse. O. C. G. A. 49 -5 -181, et seq. 9/18/2020

Child Abuse Reporting Protocol for All Mandated Reporters Any Mandated Reporter who needs to report abuse must communicate the report to the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) within 24 hours and provide a copy of the report to his/her supervisor. Option 1: Phone In Reporting Mandated Reporter: • Completes the FCS Child Abuse Reporting Form (hard copy) • Immediately communicates the report (within 24 hours) to • DFCS by calling 1 -855 -GA-CHILD (1 -855 -422 -4453) • Provides a copy of the FCS Child Abuse Reporting Form to his/her Principal/Immediate Supervisor 9/18/2020 Option 4: Online Reporting Option 2: Email Reporting Mandated Reporter: • Completes Georgia Child Protective Services Mandated Reporter Form and either emails the form to cpsintake@dhs. ga. gov • Receives and keeps a record of email confirmation from DFCS promptly after emailing/faxing the completed form* • Provides a copy of the Georgia Child Protective Services Mandated Reporter Form to his/her Principal/Immediate Supervisor *(Important: If the mandated reporter does not receive an email confirmation for his/her report within the mandated 24 hours, he/she must Phone in the report) Option 3: Fax Reporting Mandated Reporter: • Completes Georgia Child Protective Services Mandated Reporter Form and faxes the form to (229) 317 -9663. • Receives and keeps a record of email confirmation from DFCS promptly after emailing/faxing the completed form* • Provides a copy of the Georgia Child Protective Services Mandated Reporter Form to his/her Principal/Immediate Supervisor • *(Important: If the mandated reporter does not receive an email confirmation for his/her report within the mandated 24 hours, he/she must Phone in the report) Mandated Reporter: • Completes Georgia Mandated Reporter training at: Prosolutionstraining. com Child Abuse and Neglect: Mandated Reporting Requirements for Employees, Volunteers, and Contractors of Georgia Public Schools • Obtains access code for making online reports • Completes online reporting at https: //cps. dhs. ga. gov/main/default. aspx • Provides a copy of the online reporting form to his/her Principal/Immediate Supervisor *(Important: If the mandated reporter does not receive an email confirmation for his/her report within the mandated 24 hours, he/she must

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Major Types of Child Abuse Physical abuse: injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent or caretaker thereof by other than accidental means. Some indicators of Physical Abuse are: • Has unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes • Has fading bruises or other marks noticeable after an absence from school • Seems frightened of the parents and protests or cries when it is time to go home • Shrinks at the approach of adults • Reports injury by a parent or another adult caregiver • Experiences a sudden change in appetite, behavior and/or affect 9/18/2020

Major Types of Child Abuse Emotional abuse: A pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth. Some indicators of Emotional Abuse are: • Experiences a sudden change in appetite, behavior and/or affect • Is delayed in physical or emotional development • Experiences suicidal ideations • Reports a lack of attachments to the parent/guardian or authoritative figure 9/18/2020

Major Types of Child Abuse Neglect/Maltreatment: The failure of a parent, guardian, or other caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs (i. e. food, shelter, medical, supervision, clothing). This can also include failure to protect them from a known risk of harm or danger. Some indicators of Neglect/Maltreatment are: • Often left home alone • In the neighborhood for long periods without supervision • Experiences a sudden change in appetite (hungry), behavior and/or affect • Dressed inadequately for winter • Absent from school frequently • Not receiving any needed medical attention (i. e. providing medical attention for minor during pregnancy and at the time of birth for both mother and child) 9/18/2020

Major Types of Child Abuse Sexual Abuse: Using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any minor who is not that person’s spouse to engage in any sexual act. It also includes consensual acts when the acts are between minors if one of the minors involved is less than 14. It does not include consensual acts when the acts are between a minor (14 years or older) and an adult who is not more than four years older than the minor. 9/18/2020

Major Types of Abuse Some indicators of Sexual Abuse are: • Suddenly refuses to change for P. E. or to participate in physical activities • Reports nightmares or bedwetting • Experiences a sudden change in appetite, behavior, or affect • Demonstrates sophisticated, or unusual sexual knowledge or behavior • Becomes pregnant or contracts a sexually transmitted disease 9/18/2020

Major Types of Child Abuse Sexual Exploitation: Any person who buys, trades, or sells sexual acts. A who person allows, permits, encourages, or requires a child to engage in prostitution as defined in Code Section 16 -6 -9 or sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual or print medium depicting such conduct, as defined in Code Section 16 -12 -100. Some indicators of Sexual Exploitation are: • Branding and tattooing • Older boyfriend or male friend • Withdrawn and uncommunicative • Has large amounts of money • Inappropriate dress or poor hygiene • Runaway or lack of supervision/support of an adult 9/18/2020,

Major Types of Child Abuse Endangerment: Examples include, but are not limited to, allowing a minor to witness or hear crimes, including family violence O. C. G. A. 16 -5 -70(d); causing or permitting a child to be present during any activities related to the manufacture of methamphetamine as prohibited by O. C. G. A. 16 -5 -73; driving under the influence while transporting a child as discussed in O. C. G. A. 40 -6 -391; or prenatal abuse, as such term is defined in O. C. G. A. 15 -11 -2, including exposure to chronic or severe use of alcohol or the unlawful use of any controlled substance. ] 9/18/2020

Employee-Student Interactions • Examples of inappropriate employee to student interactions that could lead to an allegation of abuse include, but are not limited to: – Yelling, screaming, cursing, name calling – Pushing, grabbing body parts (neck, arms, and hood on jackets , throwing things, hitting, pinching, slapping – Pulling chairs out from under student, kicking, tripping, allowing/encouraging students to fight, public humiliation – Showing inappropriate video and print materials – Leading students down the hall in a forceful manner – Looking up girls’ skirts, flirting, writing graphic sexual notes, e-mails, sexting, and or inappropriate contact through social network mediums – Inappropriate touching (private parts & other areas), intercourse or oral sex with students – Lack of student supervision that leads to injury or harm 9/18/2020

Afraid to Go Home Protocol 9/18/2020

Fulton County Department of Children and Family Services (DFCS) Phone Hotline: 1 -855 -GA-CHILD Intake Email: cpsintake@dhs. ga. gov Fax #: (229) 317 -9663 Online: https: //cps. dhs. ga. gov/main/default. aspx 9/18/2020

Department of School Social Work Services Executive Director: Chelsea Montgomery Coordinator of Social Work Services: Jackie Cathey Employee Incident Social Worker: Quiana Shamsid-Deen Professional Assistant III: Chimere Bryant Administration 6201 Powers Ferry Rd. Atlanta, GA 30339 Phone: 470 -254 -0445 Fax: 470 -254 -1244 9/18/2020