10. Key Takeaways

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1. The basis for reporting suspected child abuse is having “reasonable cause to suspect” a child is a victim of child abuse.
2. Nothing in the PA CPSL requires a person who has reasonable cause to suspect a child is a victim of child abuse to identify the type of abuse they are reporting when making a report of suspected child abuse.
3. The PA CPSL recognizes three key components of child abuse:
   1. Child
   2. Act or failure to act; Recent act; Recent act or failure to act; or A series of acts or failures to act
   3. Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly
4. A mandated reporter enumerated under section 6311(a) of the PA CPSL (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse) must immediately make a report suspected child abuse to ChildLine, Pennsylvania’s 24/7 Child Abuse Hotline and Registry, by calling 1-800-932-0313 or electronically through the Child Welfare Portal, if they have reasonable cause to suspect a child is a victim of child abuse under any of the following circumstances:
   1. The mandated reporter comes into contact with the child in the course of employment, occupation, and practice of a profession or through a regularly scheduled program, activity, or service.
   2. The mandated reporter is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or training of the child, or is affiliated with an agency, institution, organization, school, regularly established church or religious organization, or other entity that is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance, or training of the child.
   3. A person makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that an identifiable child is the victim of child abuse.
   4. An individual 14 years of age or older makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that the individual has committed child abuse.
5. Nothing in section 6311 of the PA CPSL (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse) requires a child to come before the mandated reporter in order for the mandated reporter to make a report of suspected child abuse.
6. Nothing in section 6311 of the PA CPSL (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse) requires the mandated reporter to identify the person responsible for the child abuse in order to make a report of suspected child abuse.
7. Nothing in the PA CPSL requires a person who has reasonable cause to suspect a child is a victim of child abuse to consider the exclusions from child abuse in order to make a report of suspected child abuse.
8. A mandated reporter is presumed to have acted in good faith when making a report of suspected child abuse.

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