Policies and Procedures

Terms to know: Abuse-  Causing or allowing mental or emotional injury  Physical injury or a genuine threat of physical injury  Failure to prevent an act, by another person, that results in physical injury  Sexual conduct that is harmful to a child’s emotional, mental, or physical welfare  Failure to prevent an act of sexual misconduct, as well as compelling or encouraging a child to engage in sexual conduct (including video/photo, etc.)  The use of a controlled substance that results in physical, mental, or emotional injury to a child  Expressly permitting or encouraging a child to use a controlled substance  Causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing a sexual performance by a child

Neglect-  Leaving a child in a situation in which they can be exposed to substantial risk of physical, emotional, or mental harm without arranging for necessary care of the child  Placing a child in, or failure to remove a child from, a situation that a reasonable person would realize requires judgment or actions beyond the child’s level of maturity, physical condition, or mental abilities  Failing to seek, obtain, or follow through with medical care for a child with the failure resulting in, or presenting a risk of, death, disfigurement, bodily injury, or impacting growth, development, or functioning  Failure to provide a child with the food, clothing, or shelter necessary to sustain life health, excluding failure caused primarily by financial inability (unless services were offered and refused)  Refusal to allow the child into the home of the legal guardian without alternative child care arrangements

 If a child makes an outcry of abuse or neglect to you, you are required to report this within 48 hours.  The person who hears the outcry cannot designate another person to report this information.  A report made be made by phone (800) , online (an account must be created), by fax (512) or (800) , or to the police (contact your local police dept. or call 911).

When a child makes an outcry-  Allow the child to finish speaking without interruption.  Do not ask closed questions (yes/no).  You may seek very minimal clarification (eg. can you tell me what happened, is there anything else).  Do not press the child for any details. Do not further investigate.  If you suspect, then you report. Please, do not second guess or question.  Try to control your verbal responses, as well as facial expression. Appear calm and relaxed.  You may tell the child that it is not his/her fault, that other children have experienced this, and that there are people who want to help.

LISD Policy-  Immediately report the outcry.  Complete an LISD Report of Abuse or Neglect.  Give a copy of the form to the principal and counselor. The counselor will send a copy to the director of counseling. The report form is very important, please complete one and turn it in each time you file a report.

Where to find what you need The report form, which has the contact information for CPS, is in the counseling folder on the shared drive (in the child abuse file) and in the mailroom located in the mailbox labeled child abuse reporting. You will need a copy of the child’s enrollment card (front and back), as well as a copy of the parent/guardian’s ID (in the cum folder) for the report. A counselor can always help you locate these items.

 Please remember to complete the LISD Report of Child Abuse or Neglect. CPS always calls the counselor, and the counselor being unaware of these concerns does not help the case.  This form follows the child and creates future protection and awareness. Thank you