Board Policy  5145

 

Report of Child Abuse or Neglect

 

A.       Any registered nurse, school psychologist, speech pathologist, audiologist, school teacher,

school employee, school authority, counselor who is acting in his/her official of professional capacity and knows or suspects that a child under eighteen (18) years of age or a physically or mentally handicapped child under twenty-one (21) years of age has suffered or faces threat of suffering any mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child, shall immediately report or cause reports to be made of that knowledge or suspicion to the children services board, the county department of human services exercising the children services function, or a municipal or county peace officer in the county in which the child resides or in which the abuse or neglect is occurring or has occurred.

B.       Employees of the Ironton City School District should contact their principal, Assistant Superintendent,

or the Superintendent for assistance in completing the report and determining the proper office (s) with which the report is to be filed.

C.       Any report made pursuant to paragraphs A and B of this policy shall be made forthwith by telephone or in person forthwith and shall be followed by a written report.

 

D.      The written report shall contain:

 

1.        The names and addresses of the child and his/her parents or custodian (s).

 

2.        The child’s age and the nature and extent of the child’s known or suspected injuries, abuse or neglect.

 

3.        Any other information that might be helpful including any available color photographs and/or available results of radiological examinations.

 

E.  Any report made under this policy is confidential.  Names and information in the report shall not be   

      released or used as evidence.  Failure to make the report is a fourth degree misdemeanor under O.R.C.

      Section 2151.99.

 

F.       Anyone participation in good faith in making reports under this policy shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability for any injury, death, or loss to person or property as a result of making such report.

 

G.       The Ironton Board of Education will provide four (4) hours inservice training for child abuse prevention within the first three (3) years of employment to each elementary school nurse, elementary teacher, elementary counselor, elementary school psychologist, and elementary administrator.  The inservice shall be developed in consultation with public and private agencies or persons involved in child abuse prevention or intervention programs.

 

 

Legal References:  O.R.C.  Section  2152.421;    3319.073;   2151.99

 

 

 

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