Child Protective Services--Reporting?

Published

I know that in a lot of states we are mandated reporters when on the job.

What about off the job?

What if we witness abuse or suspect abuse during off work hours? Of course, morally the right thing to do is to report but would we still be considered mandated reporters?

What do you all think? I don't think I've seen this addressed here before.

And this is my dilemma. I hear the Mom cursing at the kids. Calling them little f'ers and "you little a-hole" , stuff like that. I also heard the boy getting smacked in the hall once and crying, I don't know if she smacked him on the arm, leg or face as I didn't see it. It's still wrong.

I know she (the mom) is being abused by her B'friend and that's always a bad sign. Plus she's got her 2 kids and her and possible the guy also living in her friend's ONE bedroom apt!!!!! So that's THREE adults and TWO kids in a 1 bedroom!!! That's just yucky...

We live in a small building, she's going to narrow down who it is that called. It sucks but I don't want to have to worry about MY safety either. I don't know what to do. The other neighbors want to call but no one wants to be the one to actually do it.

Oh yes, that living situation is plain nasty. If this case is as you describe call them yesterday, because it sounds like you have witnessed this first hand. I wouldn't call them because of the smack (even though I very rarely spank my kids) but oh h$%% no don't go talking to baby's like that and don't have your trashy boyfriends in your house, either. Since I rarely spank my kids and I hate violence I do not agree with people who are heavy with the physical discipline, and I have seen many people in the storesmack their children but I do not believe because I don't agree with how people discipline their children I should call social services on them. I'll bet the house reeks of cigarette smoke, which is one of the worst kinds of abuse I can imagine.

As far as wanting to remain anonymous, if I witnessed her filthy mouth lets just say she'd likely be wearing wigs after I found her. When I see a child blatantly mistreated the rage hits me and I lose it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Just asking, but, is there something distinctive about your approach or how you carry yourself that would make the neighbor suspect that you would be the reporter, or does she already know you are a nurse? It is a very touchy situation, because even if she did not suspect it was you, you may feel guilty if she and her low life friends started to bother your neighbors. That would make me feel horrible, especially if the neighbors were elderly (not that any other situation would make it right to be harassed, either).

I think that you should write down dates and times, and seriously pray to a higher power (if that is what you believe in) to bring a safe solution for everyone. What I really hate about bullies like this is that they do not seem to care about the negative impact they make to people that surround them. We are the ones that have to live with the guilt for each time we ponder on what to do, because we would wonder if each abuse will be the last for the victim.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

I believe everyone, nurse or not, is obligated to report for populations that are vulnerable such as children, elderly and ill or handicapped.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
I was told when the law was passed in Calif that we were obligated to report any suspected abuse, anywhere, any time. Matter of fact, most of the reports that I have made were not work related.

That was my understanding as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

some people take it to far though. When i was a very small child, in a supermarket with my dad, he had me riding in the cart and i pulled off my shoes and socks.

someone later called the cops saying that it was abusive that i had no shoes on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have had a few bad experiences with CPS myself. When I was about 7, my siblings and I were taken away from my mom for a week or so because someone called the police and my mom wasn't home (we were with a family friend). We spent the first night at a police station and the rest of the week in a foster home. :o Geez, talk about neglect! I remember only seeing the foster parent once.. and my 2 year old brother spent most of his time crying in a dark bedroom. There was no investigation before we were taken. They just showed up and becuase my mom wasn't there to keep us, we were taken away until she could prove she wasn't abusing us! My mom has never abused us in any way!

My second experience with CPS was due to my babysitter having a God complex and feeling she knew best and could play doctor with my son. :angryfire He has a skin condtion and thinks that becuase her family member is a nurse, she believed she knew how to treat his problem and would harrass me to give him this or that medication (which works for her child). She didn't understand why I was taking the steps I was taking through my doctor and believed I was neglecting him. Well guess what! CPS came and they didn't do a darn thing but make me produce all the paperwork to prove I was doing everything I was supposed to. All it did was make things difficult for me. A true misuse of the system. :nono: Not to mention the Public Health Nurse came in with an attitude expecting the worst and that I would be completely ignorant on parenting. It's like they look for the smallest reason to say there is something wrong with your child. For instance, she believes he should be talking more. His speech isn't perfect at the tender age of 27 months, and when she asked him to say "ice cream", it was close, but not perfect. Wow! I didn't know that all he had to do was say a word he is not familiar with to ace this test the Nurse was giving him. My son has had ice cream a total of two times, and doesn't even know what it is. She could have asked him to say any of the other 70 something words he actually knows. Gee! And when I told her how I disipline him, not 5 minutes go by before she acts like she never heard a word I said and then "educates" me how to disipline, saying the exact same thing I said about disciplining him, all the while speaking down to me. :trout::madface::down:

I had a very bad experience with the nurse who perhaps realized there wasn't a job for her to do here, although I never let my feelings about her be known to her. At first I was eager to update her on everything I had been doing for my son and why he wasn't getting "miraculously" better (sarcasm) at the moment, but after I brought her up to speed, she started acting like she had some sort of badge or free pass to talk to me however she wanted without thinking or inquiring. She automatically assumed that I knew nothing about taking care of a child or how to parent, without even inquiring. That maybe, just maybe, I was doing a good job of raising my son and had already taken perenting classes before I became pregant. She even talked down to me becuase I qualified for WIC, yet didn't participate in it. I don't see why I should be reprimanded for not being on a program that I don't NEED to be on. Everything that WIC provides is in my fridge and cupboards. So she came back with saying why should I pay for something I could get free (in a tone that implied I don't know what I am doing :trout: ). Well, lets see... becuase I don't feel that I should take away funds for something that could go to someone else when I can pay for it myself thank-you-very-much :idea: . My son is not going without. Sure, I could get back on it if I needed to, but in no way is it imminent. I avoid going on government programs if I can help it. I feel a sense of pride being able to pay for things myself. She just came in here acting like she was gonna sort out everything to how she saw fit. For some reason, if I am not on WIC, then I must not be looking out for my sons best interest. I am just so irritated over this whole thing. CPS has done nothing for me other than expidite some paperwork, so I suppose a thanks is in order for that. Sorry. I am venting as this happend recently. My case is all but closed and my son is still batteling his skin condition and under the care of a DOCTOR (not some babysitter who wants to play one).

I am still very irritated with the babysitter who malisciously tried to pry in my life demanding paperwork as proof to satisfy her own curiousity. Needless to say, there were other forms of "abuse" from this babysitter happening to MY son, and he is no longer there. Babysitter admitted that she has had CPS called on her quite a few times. :uhoh21:From what others and myself witnessed first had, I CAN SEE WHY! I will just say that I have more than enough proof of abuse to sue her if she doesn't stay out of my life! :nono: I am left with a bad taste in my mouth with Public Health Nurses now. Hopefully any other experiences I have with them will be positive. Due to my childhood experience with CPS taking me away from my mom, I was afraid they would take away my son, and so this has been a very emotionally draining and perhaps even insulting experience. I'm sorry for anyone who has had any needless experience with CPS. There is a time to call, and other times, the system is just being abused. The best thing to do is be informed of your rights from the get go. :twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion