The Teachers Responsibility to Report Abuse and/or Neglect

Vocabulary
Outcry of abuse:
- When the student makes note to the teacher and gives reasons to
suspect abuse either verbally or physically.
Witness of outcry:
- The witness is the first person the student makes an outcry to.
Reporter of outcry:
- The reporter of the outcry is the teacher or the first person that
notices the signs of abuse or neglect and is the first person who the
students makes the outcry to.
Household members:
- The people who live in the house where the abuse or neglect
occurs.
Alleged perpetrators:
- The person who is suspected of being the cause of the abuse or
neglect.
Collaterals:
- A person(s) who are suspected of having caused the abuse to the
alleged child.
Procedural Information
What is the official legal document that requires anyone
suspecting the abuse or neglect of a child to report the suspected
abuse to the Child Protective Services?
- Texas Family Code's or Texas Department of Family and
Protective Services.
What section specifically applies to teachers?
- The conditions or signs that need to be seen before
being reported.
How long does one have to make a report after suspecting child
abuse?
- It has to be reported within the span of 24 hours.
What are two ways that the report can be filed?
- You can report to the Texas Abuse Hotline by telephone
or the internet.

 Discuss confidentiality of reporters to CPS.

- The person who reports the abuse is protected from
being talked about by the accused and any DFPS employee. But,
in some cases the reporters identity has to be told to law
enforcement, a court of law, or a stage agency.
What information is needed when making a report?
- They need the alleged victims address and an
allegation that indicates the abuse or neglect that is definable by
law.
List four questions that might be asked about the abuse/neglect
when filing a report?
- What is the physical or emotional condition of the
student?
- Have you noticed frequent bruises or injuries that
require frequent medical visits?
- Has the student exhibited any unusual behavior that is
out of character?
- Are the parents or guardians cooperative with anything
you inquire from them?
Legal Information
What does it mean to obstruct a report of abuse or neglect?
- To obstruct the report of the abuse or neglect is by not reporting
or preventing the report of the abuse of the students.
What penalties exist in Texas for teachers who fail to report?
- For a teacher that fails to report abuse, it is classified as a Class A
Misdemeanor or that it is deemed as a state jail felony for failure to
report.
What penalties exist in Texas for false reporting?
- A state jail felony.
- A felony of the third degree.
- Required to pay for the legal or lawyer fees.
- Liable to the state for a civil penalty of $1000.