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Mandated Reporters of Child Abuse/Neglect

If you work in one of the professions listed below, you are a mandated reporter. This means that once you suspect a child may have been abused or neglected, you are required by law to report your suspicions to Family Services—within 24 hours.

  • Chiropractor, dentist, emergency medical personnel, licensed practical nurse, medical examiner, mental health professional, osteopath, pharmacist, physician, physician’s assistant, psychologist, registered nurse, surgeon, or any other health care provider;
     
  • Hospital administrator, intern, or resident physician in any hospital in the state;
     
  • School guidance counselor, librarian, principal, superintendent, teacher, or any other individual regularly employed by a school district, or contracted and paid by a school district to provide student services for five or more hours a week during the school year;
     
  • Child care worker, police officer, probation officer, social worker, or member of the clergy;
     
  • Residential and non-residential camp administrator, counselor, or owner; and
     
  • Employee, contractor, or grantee of the Agency of Human Services who has contact with clients.

As a mandated reporter, you alone are legally responsible for making sure a report is made within 24 hours.

How do I make a report?

Call our 24-hour child protection hotline:1-800-649-5285.

A social worker will ask you questions about the situation, record the information you provide, ask you to complete a written report, and in some cases, ask you to gather more information.

Try to have as much information on hand as possible, including:

  • The names of the child’s parents/caretakers;
  • The child’s name, date of birth, home address, school or child care facility; and
  • The nature and extent of the injuries or allegations of abuse/neglect

What if I am not sure whether what I suspect is abuse?

If you are not sure whether a report is warranted, please call us for advice. You may also want to seek our advice if you are thinking about telling the parents about your report; in some cases, this could endanger the child and hinder the response.

What happens to reports received?

A supervisor reviews the reports — often the same day they are received. For each report, the supervisor must determine whether it alleges abuse or neglect as defined by state law.

According to Vermont law, a report will be accepted if it indicates:

  • A person responsible for a child’s welfare has harmed or is harming the child by physical injury, neglect, medical neglect, emotional maltreatment, or abandonment;
  • A person responsible for a child’s welfare has placed the child at significant risk of serious physical harm;
  • Anyone has placed a child at significant risk of sexual abuse; or
  • Anyone has sexually abused a child.

What information may be shared with me?

If you are a mandated reporter, we will share the following information with you:

  • Whether your report was accepted for investigation or assessment;
  • If an investigation was conducted, whether it was substantiated; and
  • If an assessment was conducted, whether a need for services was found.

What about HIPAA?

The HIPAA privacy rule allows covered entities to disclose protected health information to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect — if the report is made to a government authority authorized by law to receive such reports.

Can I be sued?

Vermont law provides you with immunity from civil or criminal liability as long as your report was made in good faith.

Is my report confidential?

We will not divulge your identity unless:

  • You give us your permission to do so;
  • Your report leads to a court or human services board proceeding;
  • A court finds probable cause to believe your report was not made in good faith and orders DCF to divulge your identity; or
  • The person substantiated for abuse requests a review of the decision, and we determine that identifying information about you can be provided without compromising your safety.

Where Can I Get More Information?