Preschool Caregivers Are Mandated Reporters

Although preschools are place for learning and loving, some difficult situations arise from time to time. One of the hardest things to deal with is child abuse or neglect. As a preschool director, I thought I would take some time to discuss how child abuse or neglect is dealt with in a preschool.

Caregivers Are Mandated Reporters

In Washoe County, there is a policy in place that states that we, as caregivers, are mandated to report child abuse. At our preschool we are all about loving and nurturing your children and hope that you are too. Every day we are on the lookout for signs of abuse. If we spot something that could be abuse, we will usually take a note and contact the parent. Accidents happen and it is our job to make sure the parent is aware of the child's problem. Please remember that it is not our job to pass judgment. Our job is to care for children and make sure they are well cared for both in the center and outside of the center.

The Usual Signs Of Child Abuse

There are certain signs of abuse that are more obvious than others are. The ones that stand out the most are bruises, cuts or other signs of physical injuries. Sometimes these injuries are not visible, but can be noticed when picking a child up. For instance, if a caregiver was to pick up a child and the child started crying we would examine the child. Sometimes, they may have internal injuries or injuries that are not in plain sight. Caregivers will also take note of a child's behavior. If Johnny is usually a cheerful, playful child, but then one day he starts to become withdrawn, overly sad, or angry, and this behavior seems to be happening more frequently, then something may be wrong. As caregivers, we would make notes of the changes and discuss our concerns with the parents. Since we are mandated reporters, if we feel that something may be wrong, it would be necessary to notify Social Services.

How Is Child Neglect Different?

More than anything, when we think about child abuse we think about physical abuse. Child neglect is a little different, but is still a form of child abuse. Child neglect includes inadequate diet, continuously dirty clothes or hair, or the use of inappropriate language. If we spot any signs of child neglect, we will treat it as if we spot signs of abuse.
We Take Notes

Preschool caregivers will often take notes of injuries, neglect or behavior patterns. If anybody's bottle is continuously dirty or gunky, we will take note of what we say and what actions were taken. By having notes, it makes it easier to spot negative trends.

Hard But Necessary

Spotting and reporting child abuse can be difficult, but is necessary. Our main concern as preschool teachers is the health and safety of each child who comes into the center. We make sure that we handle each case in a professional manner. If your child is injured it is best to inform the preschool, so that they know why the child is bruised or has something broken. As a preschool director, I want to let you know that we are here to work with you.