Child Abuse
Responsibilities to Report Child Abuse
LaDonne Wagner
Virginia College Online
Most people feel that it is an honor to become a health worker and cherish the fact that they are helping others become healthier everyday. In becoming a health care worker there are many responsibilities that come along with the job. Some basic responsibilities are to be as kind and welcoming as possible to make your patient feel calm and comfortable. But what are you to do when you encounter a situation where you suspect that child abuse is going on? This is a report on what the legal obligations of a health worker and reporting child abuse. It includes my moral stand point of how I feel about child abuse and ethical points of view as well. Statistics say that according to the Courier News, “one out of four doctors ignores the signs of child abuse,” and “one in every five teachers ignores the signs”(20). Child abuse is a very real problem that is on the rise because of hard times and the way the economy is today. It is a problem that all health care workers and other public servants will eventually come into contact with while doing their duty. Once the public servant comes into a situation where they will have to handle a child abuse case, they will need to do so with care and compassion for the child and understanding for what they have been through (O’Morain). Do not judge the child for what he or she has gone through and let them know that you are there to help. Different states have some different policies on how to deal with situations where child abuse is a factor, but they all require certain people to be mandated to report suspected child abuse. According to the Department Of Children and Families, “any person paid to care for a child in any public or private facility, child day care center, group day care home or family day care home which is licensed by the state,” is legally obligated to report suspected child abuse (Heywood). That includes a wide range of
LaDonne Wagner
Virginia College Online
Most people feel that it is an honor to become a health worker and cherish the fact that they are helping others become healthier everyday. In becoming a health care worker there are many responsibilities that come along with the job. Some basic responsibilities are to be as kind and welcoming as possible to make your patient feel calm and comfortable. But what are you to do when you encounter a situation where you suspect that child abuse is going on? This is a report on what the legal obligations of a health worker and reporting child abuse. It includes my moral stand point of how I feel about child abuse and ethical points of view as well. Statistics say that according to the Courier News, “one out of four doctors ignores the signs of child abuse,” and “one in every five teachers ignores the signs”(20). Child abuse is a very real problem that is on the rise because of hard times and the way the economy is today. It is a problem that all health care workers and other public servants will eventually come into contact with while doing their duty. Once the public servant comes into a situation where they will have to handle a child abuse case, they will need to do so with care and compassion for the child and understanding for what they have been through (O’Morain). Do not judge the child for what he or she has gone through and let them know that you are there to help. Different states have some different policies on how to deal with situations where child abuse is a factor, but they all require certain people to be mandated to report suspected child abuse. According to the Department Of Children and Families, “any person paid to care for a child in any public or private facility, child day care center, group day care home or family day care home which is licensed by the state,” is legally obligated to report suspected child abuse (Heywood). That includes a wide range of
References: Heywood, L. 2005. One in four doctors ignores child abuse. Lexis Nexis The Courier Mail Retrieved July. 15. 2010 From http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/ O’Morain, P. July 12,1996. No easy solution to child abuse, says health worker. Lexis Nexis The Irish Times Retrieved July 18. 2010 From http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/ Lamont, L. January 6, 1997. Silence V Saftey: A doctor’s Dilemma. Lexis Nexis Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved July 14. 2010 From http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/ Stark, J. March 12, 2007. In harm’s way. Lexis Nexis The Age. Retrieved July 15. 2010 From http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/