NCJ Number
217743
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2007 Pages: 5-16
Date Published
January 2007
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article first reports on the features of England's mandatory reporting system for professionals when they have "a cause for concern" for a child's welfare, followed by a summary of the key criticisms of mandatory reporting systems in general and how they are likely to apply to the English system.
Abstract
This article argues that the new English system of mandatory reporting is vulnerable to these criticisms, since there is no statutory requirement regarding the resources or provision of services to children who have been reported as a "cause for concern." Further, the law poses a significant threat to the civil liberties and rights of parents, children, and youth. The reporting system mandated in section 12 of England's 2004 Children Act requires that professionals who have "a cause for concern" about the welfare of a child with whom they have come in contact must report this to the appropriate authorities. This means that mandatory reporting not only covers child abuse and neglect but also other circumstances related to a child's health, education, mental health, substance abuse, and unspecified problem behaviors. Associated with the reporting system is the creation of a database that includes information on reported children and their families. One general criticism of mandatory reporting systems is that although they have the potential to increase investigations of suspicions of child maltreatment, they do not mandate the provision of resources and standards for services to children and families in need. Another criticism of mandatory reporting systems is their potential for increasing abusive government surveillance of and intervention in the lives of individuals and families. 28 references