In Texas, anyone who has reasonable cause to believe that a child is being abused or neglected has a legal obligation to report it. 'Reasonable cause' does not require directly witnessing the abuse or neglect. Professional reporters are required to report within 48 hours of becoming aware of the concern.
Professional Reporters
A Professional Reporter is anyone licensed or certified by the state or works for an agency or facility licensed or certified by the state and has contact with children as result of their normal duties. By law, professionals may not delegate their duty to report to another person such as a coworker or family member.
Professional reporters include, but are not limited to:
- Medical facility staff
- Social workers
- School personnel
- Law enforcement
- Mental health professionals
- Officers of the court
- Daycare providers
It is the responsibility of professionals to report, and it is the responsibility of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate allegations or suspicions of abuse or neglect.
Training Objectives
This training seeks to provide school staff with the following:
- Abuse and neglect definitions.
- Introduction of two realistic abuse/neglect reporting scenarios.
- A walk-through of the web-based online reporting system.
- Guidance on commonly asked questions.
- Approximate Time to Complete Course: 1 hour.
This tutorial does not meet all training requirements mandated by Texas Education Code ยง 38.0041 (c)(2).
You will have the opportunity to earn and print a "Certificate of Completion" at the conclusion of the course review. This will be your only certificate for the course, so be sure to print or save a copy!