Child abuse is a critical issue in the United States, where nearly five children die every day due to abuse and neglect. Every 10 seconds, a new report of abuse is made. Most reports of suspected child abuse or neglect come from the professionals who come into close or consistent contact with children, such as educators, childcare workers, healthcare professionals, clergy, law enforcement officers, and even volunteers who work with youth.
Understanding the signs of child abuse and knowing how to make a report are crucial for stopping child abuse in the country. Which is why mandated reporting training is so critical.
Here are four reasons why governments, communities, and organizations are investing in mandated reporter training.
Mandated Reporting Saves Lives
An estimated 1,700 children die as a result of child abuse each year. The majority of these fatalities occur in children under the age of 2. And studies indicate that child mistreatment fatalities are underreported by at least 50 percent.
Parents—acting alone or with another parent or individual—are responsible for 80.1 percent of child abuse or neglect fatalities.
According to childwelfare.gov, researchers have noted the need for better training for child welfare workers in identifying potentially fatal situations. For these 1,700 children, mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect training could mean the difference between life and death.
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Child Abuse Has a High Economic Impact
Although services and support help a child heal and minimize the effects of abuse, the economic impact—for both the child and community—can be severe and life-long.
Safe and Sound, a child advocacy group headquartered in San Francisco, CA, has calculated the economic burden of child abuse in California, finding the total economic burden incurred by CA communities for the lifelong costs of child maltreatment is $26.3 billion.
According to safeandsound.org, the economic impact of child abuse includes:
Educational costs: abused children are 77 percent more likely to require special education and have higher rates of school absenteeism and poorer academic performance.
Criminal justice costs: abused children are more likely to commit a crime, and research estimates the cost of crime induced by abuse to society to range between $6.7 billion and $62.5 billion per year.
Public assistance costs: adolescent victims of child abuse are 200 percent more likely to be unemployed as adults and are more likely to receive public assistance.
Healthcare costs: victims of abuse have 21 percent higher long-term healthcare costs, a higher incidence of chronic health problems, mental health issues, and substance abuse throughout adulthood.
Child Abuse is a Lifelong Problem
As the numbers demonstrate above, the legacy of abuse follows children long into adulthood with several lifelong severe ramifications.
Research tells us that adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, bring a range of negative long-term health consequences.
Individuals who experience six or more adverse childhood experiences have an average life expectancy that is twenty years shorter than those who haven’t. Abuse victims are at significantly higher risk for mental health disorders, addiction, sexual problems, and reproductive health issues.
As many as two-thirds of people undergoing substance abuse treatment have reported childhood abuse or neglect.
Lastly, adults who suffered abuse as children are more likely to engage in criminal activity. One report found that childhood maltreatment approximately doubles the probability of engaging in many types of crime.
More than 90 percent of women with criminal justice system involvement have experienced some form of childhood trauma, such as physical or sexual violence, bullying, gang attacks, dating violence, or witnessing extreme violence, including murder.
A study of adult male felons in a New York prison found that 68 percent of inmates reported some form of child victimization; 23 percent reported multiple types of childhood abuse and neglect, including physical and sexual abuse.
Laws Make Reporting and Training Mandatory
Most states have laws requiring mandated reporting by professionals. While each state’s definition of a mandated reporter varies, most include workers in healthcare, schools, childcare, social services, law enforcement, and others. Failing to report can result in penalties, fines, and even jail time.
Many states also have laws in place requiring training for mandated reporters. For example, California has laws requiring mandated reporter training for teachers and school personnel, childcare workers, employees, administrators, and volunteers of youth-serving organizations, and for HR employees and supervisors of businesses that employ minors.
CAPTA Funding Covers Mandated Reporter Training
The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) provides Federal grant funding to States to support prevention, assessment, investigation, prosecution, and treatment activities, including mandated reporter training.
These Federal grant funds are available to public agencies and nonprofit organizations, including Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, for programs and projects.
States and other public agencies that invest in mandated reporter training can use CAPTA funds to ensure their mandated reporter training programs are state-of-the-art, comprehensive, and easily accessed by the professionals who need the training to save lives.
Reporting child abuse is critical on every level. However, it’s impossible to report if you don’t know the signs. Training and education in this area are imperative to save the lives of children and prevent child abuse and neglect. Mandated reporter training is good for children, families, and the future of communities.
This post was originally published in 2020 and updated in 2025 to reflect the most recent data, statistics, and trends related to child abuse prevention and mandated reporter training.
