School personnel play a key role in identifying and helping abused children. Children spend the majority of their day in school, where you have regular contact and the ability to observe changes in appearance and behavior that others may not notice.

School personnel are often seen as positive role models and may be a source of support and care for many children; you may be the one trusted adult to whom a child confides in about abuse. It’s critical that you know how to recognize the signs and report suspected abuse. A school is a facility providing elementary, secondary, or post-secondary educational services, including public and nonpublic schools, vocational-technical schools, and institutions of higher education.

• School employee* - an individual who is employed by a school or who provides a program, activity or service sponsored by a school. *The term excludes an individual who has no direct contact with children.

Child care providers have unique opportunities to notice signs of child abuse or neglect. Your caregiving duties allow you to pay attention to children’s progress and development, and regular contact with children can reveal changes in appearance and behavior that indicate abuse. You may have infants in your care who cannot speak for themselves and are completely reliable on caregivers to protect them.

As a child care provider, you may be the only person outside of the family with whom a child has significant contact. You may be the one trusted adult to whom a child confides in about abuse and the only person who is in a position to help a child. It’s critical that you know how to recognize the signs and what to do when abuse is suspected.

• Child day-care centers
• Group day-care homes
• Family day-care homes
• Foster homes
• Adoptive parents
• Boarding homes for children
• Juvenile detention center services or programs for delinquent or dependent children
• Mental health services for children
• Services for children with intellectual disabilities
• Early intervention services for children
• Drug and alcohol services for children Day-care services or programs that are offered by a school
• Other child-care services that are provided by or subject to approval, licensure, registration or certification by the Department or a county social services agency or that are provided pursuant to a contract with the Department or a county social services agency

Medical and healthcare professionals may be the first to recognize signs of suspected abuse, neglect, or maltreatment in children. Children brought in for care may have injuries or be exhibiting behavioral changes that are concerning for possible abuse.

When parents have concern about possible abuse, their first step is often to contact their health care provider. It’s critical that healthcare professionals be able to recognize the signs of suspected maltreatment and have the tools needed to take action.

A licensed hospital or health care facility or person who is licensed, certified or otherwise regulated to provide health care services under the laws of this Commonwealth, including:

• A physician
• Podiatrist
• Optometrist
• Physical therapist
• Certified nurse practitioner
• Registered nurse
• Nurse midwife
• Physician's assistant
• Chiropractor
• Dentist
• Pharmacist

Mental health professionals and social workers who have worked with abused children know firsthand the long-term effects of abuse and its impact. In your profession, you’re in a unique position to identify red flags for abuse in individual parent and child behaviors as well as family interactions.

You may be the only person who can recognize and support parents/ families who are vulnerable to abusive or neglectful treatment. You're in a key role to help children and families emerge from trauma. It’s critical that you’re aware of the signs of abuse and possess the tools to act when you suspect it.

• Psychologist
• An individual accredited or certified to provide behavioral health services
• Employees of a social services agency

As a law enforcement officer you are often a first responder to reports of suspected child abuse. You play a key role in detecting and helping abused children. Law enforcement officers may often times be in a position to recognize unique environmental factors in a home or dwelling that can trigger concerns for a child’s safety. In addition, law enforcement officers may identify signs of abuse by observing children’s behavior, recognizing physical signs, and observing family dynamics during interactions with parents and caregivers.

As a law enforcement officer, you play a key role in detecting and helping abused children. Your response in situations where a child may be subjected to abuse or neglect can significantly impact the future welfare of that child. It is critical that all law enforcement professionals know what to look for and how to proceed when child maltreatment is suspected.

• A peace officer or law enforcement official

Faith-based listening, spiritual guidance, prayer and pastoral support are all ways in which clergy members serve a vital role in guiding people through many of life’s challenges to safety and healing. Becoming educated about the complexities and psychological impact of child abuse can help ensure that clergy members respond appropriately when confronted with evidence of child maltreatment.

As a clergy member, you may be the trusted adult to whom a child makes an initial disclosure of abuse. In addition, perpetrators of child abuse and/or family members may come to you for advice when abuse has been discovered. Clergy members have both a moral and a legal obligation to report when there is the possibility that a child has been harmed. It’s critical to be knowledgeable about what to look for and how to respond when these situations arise.

• Clergy members such as priests, ministers, Christian Science practitioner, or religious healer
• Spiritual leader of any regularly established church or other religious organization

Any person, paid or unpaid, who, on the basis of the person’s role in a program, activity, or service, is a person responsible for a child’s welfare or has direct contact with children are also reporters.

In addition, an individual supervised or managed by a mandated reporter who has direct contact with children is considered a mandated reporter. This includes:

• An independent contractor who provides a program, activity or service to an agency, institution, organization or other entity, including a school or regularly established religious organization, that is responsible for the care, supervision, guidance or control of children
• An attorney affiliated with an agency, institution, or other entity, including a school or established religious organization that is responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or control of children
• An adult family member who is a person responsible for the child’s welfare and provides services to a child in a family living home, community home for individuals with an intellectual disability, or licensed host home for children
• Employees of a public library