The Unintended Consequences of Mandatory Reporting: Balancing Protection and Harm in Child Welfare

“Each year, millions of children in the United States are reported to be victims of abuse or neglect.

Between 2014 and 2015, nearly 3.5 million children were reported to have been victims of suspected maltreatment, and approximately two-thirds of these cases resulted in investigations by Child Protective Services (CPS). Available data indicate that reported cases of child maltreatment lead to positive outcomes after an investigation; however, some families face unexpected adverse results, including damage to therapeutic relationships and serious injury to or even death of a child after a separation from family. This commentary explores the aftermath of mandatory reporting (MR) in the specific context of child maltreatment.”