Mandatory reporter training is required for those who frequently come into contact with children and the elderly, such as social workers, medical staff, and teachers. The training covers identifying and reporting suspected abuse, including recognizing common identifiers of abuse and learning how to properly question the victim. The training also covers appropriate ways to respond to reports of abuse, including remaining calm and collected to make the victim feel safe and supported.
Mandatory reporter training is commonly offered to the community that frequently comes into contact with children and the elderly. Social workers, medical staff and teachers make up the bulk of those in need of training. The most common type of training involves a 13-question pre-assessment exam, followed by a 60- to 120-minute interactive, self-paced training. The last step in many mandatory reporter training sessions is the completion of a 13-question post-training exam. Upon completion of this training, a certificate is issued to the trainee.
Many members of a community are required to receive training from reporters required to recognize and properly report suspected child abuse, elder abuse, and victims of human trafficking. Identifying clues that may lead to the recognition of abuse is covered in mandated reporter training. Blemishes, unexplained blemishes, and frequent, recurring injuries are common identifiers of abuse. Part of the training involves learning how to properly question the suspected victim about their injuries. The appropriate person or organization to report abuse to is also included in the training. People often report informing the wrong person about suspected abuse, which resulted in continued violence until the appropriate authority was finally notified of the situation.
Requirements for reporting suspected abuse are covered in mandatory education for reporters. The reporting requirement need not be positive; the suspected abuse need only be probable or probable. The recognition of bruises and other injuries is investigated in training, as well as the typical excuses given for injuries. By learning the typical responses and explanations used to describe the way injuries were sustained, the reporter can better judge the likelihood of an actual case of abuse compared to a normal, accidental injury.
As important as the methods of responding to suspected abuse are, the ways in which we do not react to suspected abuse are important. A large part of mandatory reporter training includes ways to respond and not to respond to reports of abuse. It is imperative that a reporter remain calm and steady when hearing reported abuse. Responding with horror or disbelief can often cause a reporter to close down and even claim they are just making up the story. It is imperative that the person listening to the suspected victim’s report remain calm and collected as if listening to something that is a very common occurrence in the community. The main point of mandatory reporter training is to make the victim feel safe, supported and blameless.
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