Mandated Reporting Flashcards
Social workers are mandated reported who are legally required to report what?
report any suspicious abuse and neglect of children, elderly, or dependent adults
Social workers are to be mandated reporters but are not responsible for?
Social workers are not responsible for investigating only to report.
Remember as a social worker when in doubt?
always make a report
What are the four main types of maltreatment?
physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse
What is physical abuse to children?
Physical abuse is a nonaccidental physical injury to a child caused by a parent, caregiver, or other person responsible for a child
What are physical indicators of child abuse?
- burning
-hitting
-punching
-head injuries
-kicking
-skull fractures
-choking
-bite marks
-throwing
-unusual bruising
-shaking
-stabbing
-history of injury that does not fit the scenario
What is the definition of sexual abuse of children?
Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent or other caregiver such as fondling a child’s genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy ( oral or anal intercourse), indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials.
What are sexual indicators of child abuse?
-sexual identity problems
-feeling of shame and guilt
-feeling responsible for the abuse
-sleep or eating problems
-bed wetting
- talking about sexual material
-difficulty walking and or sitting
-overly sexualized behaviors
-odd bathroom patterns
-sex trafficking
-sexual acts towards others
-exposing a child to sexual activity
What are behavioral signs of sexual abuse in children?
-any extreme changes in behavior
-regression
-fears and anxieties
-withdrawal
-sleep disturbances
-recurrent nightmares
What are some factors that influence the effects of sexual abuse?
- age of the victim
- extent and duration of sexual abuse
- relationship to offender to victim
- reaction of others to the abuse
- other life experiences
Immediately after disclosing sexual abuse, an individual is at risk for?
-disbelief by others
-being rejected by others
- being blamed for the abuse and the consequences of disclosing the sexual abuse
for a child what is one the most significant factors contributing to the adjustment after sexual abuse?
the level of parental support
What is the definition of child neglect?
is the failure of a parent or other caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs such as medical care, clothing, shelter food, or supervision to the degree that the child’s health, safety and well-being are unsafe
What are the four categories of neglect
-physical
-medical
-educational
-emotional
what are examples of physical neglect in children?
failure to provide necessary food or shelter, lack of appropriate supervision)
what are examples of medical neglect for children?
failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment, withholding medically indicated treatment from children with life-threatening conditions
What are examples of educational neglect for children?
failure to educate a child or attend to special education needs
What are examples of emotional neglect for children?
inattention to a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care, permitting a child to use alcohol or other drugs)
What are indicators of child neglect?
-stealing food
-poor weight gain
-foul body odor
-falling asleep during class
-unwashed
-lack of supervision
-unchanged diapers
-lack of nutrition
-failure to thrive
-failure to attend medical appointments and dental appoinments
What is child medical neglect?
Medical neglect is generally defined as a parent or guardian’s failure to provide adequate medical care for their child or denying care.
Where is child medical neglect most commonly seen?
commonly seen in hospital settings
What are some examples of medical neglect that would be on the ASWB exam?
- Family refusing medical treatment for their child based on religious beliefs.
- A child is harmed or at risk of harm because of a lack of health care
- Delaying seeking medical assistance for an acute illness
- Ignoring medical recommendations by a physician
- Bringing the child to a health care setting only when the child becomes seriously ill or near death
What is emotional abuse in children?
Emotional abuse (or psychological abuse) is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth.
What are examples of emotional abuse in children?
This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection as well as withholding love, support, or guidance.
Emotional abuse can impact what part of childs brain?
intelligence, memory, recognition, perception, attention, imagination, and moral development
Child protective service may not be able to intervene for emotional abuse of a child without what? and why does CPS need this evidence?
- without evidence of harm or mental injury to the child
- CPS needs this evidence because emotional abuse is often difficult to prove
Abandonment is considered a form of?
form of neglect
What is abandonment?
In general, a child is considered to be abandoned when the parent’s identity or whereabouts are unknown, the child has been left alone in circumstances where the child suffers serious harm, the child has been deserted with no regard for his or her health or safety, or the parent has failed to maintain contact with the child or provide reasonable support for a specified period of time.
What is child abuse?
a physical or emotional injury or death inflicted on a child through intentional beatings, corporal punishments, persistent ridicule, degradation, or sexual abuse.
What does not consititue as child abuse?
a mutual affray between minors does not constitute child abuse.
State laws require social workers to do what with child abuse?
state laws require social workers and other mandated reporters to report suspected child abuse to appropriate authorities.
What are emotional indicators of child abuse?
-lying
-stealing
-drug use
- social withdrawal
-anxiety
-depression
-difficulty concentrating
-aggressive or hyperactive behaviors
-changing behavior
-low self-esteem
Those who are victims of psychological (emotional abuse) and neglect often?
-avoid eye contact
-experience deep loneliness, anxiety, and despair
-have a flat superficial way of relating, with little empathy towards others
-have lowered capacity to engage appropriately with others
engage in bullying, disruptive, or aggressive behavior towards others
- engage in self harming or self destructive behaviors (cutting, physical aggression, reckless behavior, showing a disregard for self and safety, drug taking)
as a mandated reporter when a child discloses abuse the social worker should always?
complete a CPS report
As a mandated reported as a social worker if there is immediate danger to the child or social worker call?
911 FIRST
As a mandated reported as a social worker if there is not enough information to file a CPS the social worker should?
Gather additional information
As a mandated reporter as a social worker who is working with a child the social worker must inform the child what?
the social worker must inform the child that information shared during the therapeutic sessions is confidential unless someone is causing them harm
As a mandated reported a social worker must file a report for medical neglect if the caregiver is refusing to provide their child with medical treatment due to?
religious beliefs
What is the definition of exploitation?
-is treating someone badly in order to benefit from his or her resources or work
-it is when someone uses a situation to gain unfair advantage for himself or herself.
Exploitation is common when?
-there is a power differential between parties due to social status, abilities, income, education, job position, and so on
Social workers have ethical mandates to not exploit?
clients, supervisees, students, and others who they come in contact within their work
A past history of violent behavior is the best indicator of?
Future violence
What are the risk factors for an abuser?
- history of owning weapons and using them against others
- criminal history; repetitive antisocial behavior
- drug and alcohol use (substance use is associated with the most violent crimes)
- psychiatric disorder with coexisting substance abuse
- certain psychiatric symptoms such as psychosis, intense suspiciousness, anger, and or unhappiness
- personality disorders (borderline and antisocial personality disorders)
- history of impulsivity: low frustration tolerance; recklessness; inability to tolerate criticism; entitlement.
- angry affect without empathy for others- high anger scores associated with increased chance of violence
- environmental stressors: lower socioeconomic status or poverty; job termination
A social worker should take all reports of abuse and all threats for harm how?
Seriously
What are static risk factors in abuse and neglect?
factors that cannot be changed by interventions such as past history of violent behavior or demographic information
What are dynamic risk factors in abuse and neglect?
factors that can be changed by interventions such as change in living situations, treatment of psychiatric symptoms, not using substances, reduce access to weapons.
