Mandatory Reporting Basics
Understand your duty to report suspected abuse — and exactly how to do it.
For: Volunteers and staff who work with minors
What you’ll learn
- Tell the difference between a mandated and a permissive reporter
- Know whether and when you must report suspected abuse in your role
- Apply the "reasonable suspicion" standard — report, don't investigate
- Make a report to the right authority correctly, with the right facts
- Understand confidentiality and good-faith immunity protections
Screen your volunteers for $5
VolunteerBadge runs FCRA-compliant background checks for just $5 — with identity verification built in. No monthly fees, no contracts.
Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
What mandatory reporting is — and why it exists
5 min
- 2
Mandated vs. permissive reporters
6 min
- 3
The standard: reasonable suspicion, not proof
5 min
- 4
What and when to report
5 min
- 5
How to report — and to whom
5 min
- 6
Immunity, confidentiality & the cost of silence
5 min
- 7
Putting it together: respond like a trained volunteer
4 min
Sources & further reading
- Child Welfare Information Gateway (U.S. Children's Bureau) — Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect — state statute series
- Child Welfare Information Gateway — State Statutes Search — who must report, by state
- Childhelp — National Child Abuse Hotline — 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-CHILD)
- RAINN — Mandatory Reporting Requirements: Children (state-law database)
- U.S. Children's Bureau — Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) — federal definitions
This course is educational and provides general information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and volunteer-screening best practices. It is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and change over time — consult a qualified attorney about your organization’s specific obligations.