Westport students allege sexual assault complaints mishandled by school officials A group of Staples High School students say school administrators failed to act after they reported sexual assaults. “This year I was a victim of sexual assault by someone in the school setting. I discovered that there were four other girls who had faced the same thing from the same guy,” said Sophia Sherman, one of four female students who addressed the school board Monday night. The allegations came up at what was expected to be a short policy discussion on handling sexual harassment, which instead opened up into a broader conversation on the culture surrounding sexual assault and how ... Continue reading... http://www.westport-news.com/news/article/Westport-students-allege-sexual-assault-12518169.php
The Westport school administrators need some re-training and perhaps should themselves be reported for failure to report child abuse. From here note line bolded in red below: Child Abuse – Mandatory Reporters / Mandatory Reporting The material provided on the 211 eLibrary is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as legal advice. The following information is taken from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families Q&As ABOUT REPORTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT WHO IS A MANDATED REPORTER? Under Connecticut law, the following professionals are “mandated reporters” and are therefore required to report known or suspected incidents of abuse or neglect of any child under age 18 and any child under age 21 if the child is a DCF client: Any person paid to care for a child in any public or private facility, child day care center, group day care home or family day care home which is licensed by the State Domestic Violence Counselors Chiropractors Dentists and Dental Hygienists Department of Children and Families employees Office of Early Childhood employees responsible for the licensing of child day care centers, group day care homes, family day care homes or youth camps. Foster parents Judical Department Employees (Family Relations Counselors, Family Counselor Trainees, Family Services Supervisors Licensed or Unlicensed Resident Interns Licensed or Unlicensed Resident Physicians Licensed Physicians, Surgeons Licensed Practical Nurses Licensed Professional Counselors Licensed/Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors Licensed/Certified Emergency Medical Services Providers Licensed/Certified Marital and Family Therapists Medical examiners Any paid Youth Camp Director or Assistant Director Members of the Clergy Mental health professionals Optometrists Parole Officers (Juvenile or Adult) Pharmacists Physical therapists Physicians Physician Assistants Podiatrists Police Officers Probation Officers (Juvenile or Adult) Psychologists Registered Nurses School Coaches or Coaches of Intramural or Interscholastic Athletics School Employees Sexual Assault Counselors Social Workers The Child Advocate and any employee of the Office of the Child Advocate WHAT IS A MANDATED REPORTER REQUIRED TO DO? Mandated reporters are required to report or cause a report to be made when, in the ordinary course of their employment or profession, they have reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a child under the age of 18 and any child under the age of 21 if the child is a DCF client, has been abused, neglected or is placed in imminent risk of serious harm. Child abuse occurs when a child has had physical injury inflicted upon him other than by accidental means, has injuries at variance with history given of them, or is in a condition resulting in maltreatment, such as, but not limited to, malnutrition, sexual molestation or exploitation, deprivation of necessities, emotional maltreatment or cruel punishment. Child neglect occurs when a child has been abandoned, is being denied proper care and attention physically, emotionally, or morally, or is being permitted to live under conditions, circumstances or associations injurious to his well-being. An oral report must be made within 12 hours of the alleged abuse, followed by a written one (DCF 136 form) within 48 hours after that, both to the DCF Careline, 1-800-842-2288. The written report form is available on the DCF website at http://www.ct.gov/dcf/lib/dcf/policy/forms/DCF-136_Rev_05_2015.pdf or one can be requested when an oral report is made to the DCF Careline. A law enforcement agency must immediately notify DCF when it receives an oral report. Mandated reporters are required to give their name when they make a report to DCF, however, reporters may request anonymity to protect their privacy. This means that DCF would not disclose their name or identity unless mandated to do so by law (Connecticut General Statutes, Sections 17a-28 and 17a-101). Unless a reporter gives written consent, his or her name will not be disclosed except to: a DCF employee a law enforcement officer an appropriate state’s attorney an appropriate assistant attorney general a judge and all necessary parties in a court proceeding a state child care licensing agency, executive director of any institution, school or facility or superintendent of schools If DCF suspects or knows that the reporter knowingly makes a false report, his or her identity shall be disclosed to the appropriate law enforcement agency and the person may be subject to the penalty described in the next section. For more information on Connecticut Laws and Information about Child Abuse and Neglect, visit the Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Libraries webpage: https://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/law/childabuse.htm TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT’S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE: Search by service names: Child Abuse Hotlines Children’s Protective Services —————————————————————- SOURCE: Connecticut Department of Children and Families: What Mandated Reporters Need to Know PREPARED BY: 211/kq CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: March 2018
