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Who are Mandatory Reporters?
Vermont Law requires that the following persons give an oral or written report to DCF within twenty-four hours if they have reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected:
Physician
Surgeon
Osteopath
Chiropractor
Intern
Resident Physician
Lic. Practical Nurse
Mental Health Professional
Hospital Administrator
School Principal
School Guidance Counselor
Dentist
School Superintendent
Health Care Provider
Physician’s Assistant
Registered Nurse
Medical Examiner
Psychologist
School Teacher
School Librarian
Social Workers
Child Care Worker
Clergy
Police Officer
Probation Officer
Residential and Non-Residential
Camp Administrator, Counselor and/or Owner
In addition to these mandated reporters, any other person who has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected may make a report to DCF.
You may telephone the local office of DCF between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The Emergency Services Program (E.S.P.) Is available to take your calls after hours and on state holidays.
You do not need to prove that the child has been abused. An intake worker will talk with you about your observations. If there is information to indicate that the child may have been abused or neglected as defined in state law, the referral will be accepted as a report. The supervisor at DCF will make this decision. If you are unsure whether the situation is really a report, call and consult with an intake worker.
After your initial call, you will be asked to complete a brief, one-page written report. Your identity can be kept confidential except that if court action is necessary to protect the child, your name may be disclosed. However your open participation in the process can be beneficial to the child and family.
Whether or not your name is disclosed, Vermont statute gives you immunity from civil or criminal liability as long as your report was made in good faith.
In most cases, DCF will commence an investigation within seventy-two hours of accepting a report. A case-worker will usually visit the child’s home to investigate the situation. The case worker may talk separately with the child (in the presence of an outside adult). The case worker will also speak to the child’s parents or caretaker and other persons in the community familiar with the family. The goal is to determine if abuse or neglect has occurred. The reporter’s name is not disclosed unless court action is necessary to protect the child.
The caseworker attempts to determine the immediate and long-term risk to the child if he or she remains at home. If the investigation determines that the child has been abused or neglected, DCF may assist the family to access services they need to stop the abuse and enhance parenting capacity.
If the child is in immediate danger, he or she can be placed temporarily with a foster family or in another setting. The decision to take this serious step rests with the police and a family court judge, not with DCF.
If a mandated reporter requests it, DCF will inform him or her of the case determination.
An Abused or neglected child is a child whose physical health, psychological growth and development or welfare is harmed or is at substantial risk of harm by the acts or omissions of his or her parent or other person responsible for the child’s welfare. Also, a child who is sexually abused or at risk of sexual abuse by any person.
Sexual abuse is any act or acts by any person involving sexual molestation or exploitation of a child including, but not limited to, incest, prostitution, rape, sodomy, or any lewd and lascivious conduct involving a child. Sexual abuse also includes the aiding, abetting, counseling, hiring, or procuring of a child to perform or participate in any photograph, motion picture, exhibition, show, representation, or other presentation which, in which or in part, depicts a sexual conduct, sexual excitement or sadomasochistic abuse involving a child.
Emotional maltreatment is a pattern of malicious behavior which results in impaired psychological growth and development.
Risk of harm means a significant danger that a child will suffer serious harm other than by accidental means, which harm would be likely to cause physical injury, neglect, emotional maltreatment or sexual abuse.
Medical Neglect is neglect which results in pain, further damage to the child or puts the child in a position that the medical provider feels places the child at risk of significant or permanent damage.