Child Abuse Prevention
The Governing Board recognizes the district's responsibility to educate students about the dangers of child abuse so that they will acquire the skills and techniques needed to identify unsafe situations and to react appropriately and promptly.
The district's instructional program may include age-appropriate and culturally sensitive child abuse prevention curriculum. This curriculum may explain students' right to live free of abuse, inform them of available support resources, and teach them how to obtain help and disclose incidents of abuse. The curriculum also may include training in self-protection techniques.
(cf. 6143 - Courses of Study)
The Superintendent or designee may seek to incorporate community resources into the district's child abuse prevention programs. To the extent feasible, the Superintendent or designee may use these community resources to provide parents/guardians with instruction in parenting skills and child abuse prevention.
(cf. 1020 - Youth Services)
Child Abuse Reporting
The Board recognizes that child abuse has severe consequences and that the district has a responsibility to protect students by facilitating the prompt reporting of known and suspected incidents of child abuse. The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures for the identification and reporting of such incidents in accordance with law.
(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)
Employees who are mandated reporters, as defined by law and administrative regulation, are obligated to report all known or suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect. Mandated reporters shall not investigate any suspected incidents but rather shall cooperate with agencies responsible for investigating and prosecuting cases of child abuse and neglect.
The Superintendent or designee shall provide training regarding the reporting duties of mandated reporters.
In the event that training is not provided to mandated reporters, the Superintendent or designee shall report to the California Department of Education the reasons that such training is not provided. (Penal Code 11165.7)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
32280-32288 Comprehensive school safety plans
33308.1 Guidelines on procedure for filing child abuse complaints
44690-44691 Staff development in the detection of child abuse and neglect
44807 Duty concerning conduct of students
48906 Notification when student released to peace officer
48987 Dissemination of reporting guidelines to parents
49001 Prohibition of corporal punishment
51220.5 Parenting skills education
PENAL CODE
152.3 Duty to report murder, rape, or lewd or lascivious act
273a Willful cruelty or unjustifiable punishment of child; endangering life or health
288 Definition of lewd or lascivious act requiring reporting
11164-11174.4 Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
15630-15637 Dependent adult abuse reporting
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
4650 Filing complaints with CDE, special education students
Management Resources:
CDE LEGAL ADVISORIES
0514.93 Guidelines for parents to report suspected child abuse
WEB SITES
California Attorney General's Office, Crime and Violence Prevention Center: http://safestate.org
California Department of Education, Safe Schools: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss
California Department of Social Services, Children and Family Services Division: http://www.childsworld.ca.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information: http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov
Policy NEWPORT-MESA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: September 8, 2009 Costa Mesa, California