The responsibility for preventing children from being abused can arguably rest with anyone who interacts with them. However, recognizing child abuse is not as simple as one might imagine. True, there are the obvious cases such as a child who always seems to have an inexplicable bruise somewhere, but there are many other instances of physical abuse that are not as obvious. Federal, state, and local agencies work to provide information to raise levels of awareness through public service programs.
Laws have been enacted nationwide that identify certain professionals who regularly work with children and have designated these individuals “mandatory reporters.” Among these professions are teachers, law enforcement officers, social workers, health care professionals, child care providers, counselors and other mental health care providers. There are laws in 18 states and Puerto Rico that make it a requirement for any person to report suspected child abuse regardless of their profession. The statutory procedure to be followed in the case of institutional reporting makes it the responsibility of any staff member who witnesses the alleged child abuse to notify the head of that institution. It is then the duty of the institution head to make an official report to the authorities.
The criteria for identifying incidents of abuse are nonspecific. The wording in the law typically requires that a report be made when the reporter suspects or has reason to suspect that a child has been abused. However, one of the difficulties preventing many reports from being made is the reluctance to report without proof that the suspicious injuries were caused by abuse and not as a result of an accident. Other examples of why reports are not as forthcoming are choosing to intervene without involving the authorities; fear of getting involved; fear that filing a report will make matters worse; fear of retaliation from the family; and belief that someone else will make a report. According to the American Humane Association, all states have laws that are designed to protect reporters from liability when the report is made in good faith.
http://guardianlv.com/2014/06/child-abuse-prevention-who-is-responsible/
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