The Greenfield Union School District is committed to supporting the safety and well-being of district students and desires to facilitate the prevention of and response to child abuse and neglect.  The District has procedures for the identification and reporting of known and suspected child abuse and neglect in accordance with the law. All staff is annually trained on the mandated reporting process and procedures for reporting child abuse are included in the District and/or school comprehensive safety plan. 

Mandated reporters include, but are not limited to, teachers; instructional aides; teacher's aides or assistants; classified employees; certificated pupil personnel employees; administrative officers or supervisors of child attendance; athletic coaches, administrators, and directors; administrators and employees of a licensed child day care facility; Head Start teachers; district police or security officers; licensed nurses or health care providers; and administrators, presenters, and counselors of a child abuse prevention program.  (Penal Code 11165.7)

 Reasonable suspicion means that it is objectively reasonable for a person to entertain a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a reasonable person in a like position, drawing when appropriate on his/her training and experience, to suspect child abuse or neglect.  However, reasonable suspicion does not require certainty that child abuse or neglect has occurred nor does it require a specific medical indication of child abuse or neglect.  (Penal Code 11166)

A mandated reporter shall make a report using the procedures provided below whenever, in his/her professional capacity or within the scope of his/her employment, he/she has knowledge of or observes a child whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect.  (Penal Code 11166)

 Any mandated reporter who has knowledge of or who reasonably suspects that a child is suffering serious emotional damage or is at a substantial risk of suffering serious emotional damage, based on evidence of severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or untoward aggressive behavior toward self or others, may make a report to the appropriate agency.  (Penal Code 11166.05, 11167)

 Immediately or as soon as practicable after knowing or observing suspected child abuse or neglect, a mandated reporter shall make an initial report by telephone to any police department (excluding a school district police/security department), sheriff's department, county probation department if designated by the county to receive such reports, or county welfare department.  (Penal Code 11165.9, 11166)

When the initial telephone report is made, the mandated reporter shall note the name of the official contacted, the date and time contacted, and any instructions or advice received.