California: Shifting From Reporting Families to Supporting Families

“Mandated reporting refers to the legal requirement for certain professionals to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities.

Per the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories have some form of mandated reporter laws. 1 Mandated reporting laws have expanded greatly over the past 50 years, leading to the requirement to report ANY suspicion of abuse or neglect. The result has been significant increases in the number of reports made with no corresponding evidence that children are safer. The harm and trauma of unnecessary reporting falls disproportionately on Black/African American and Native American children and families.”