Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting in Pennsylvania for New Licensees

Course content available in transcripts.

Fulfills requirement:Pennsylvania’s requirements for child abuse reporting for psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and nurses (initial license and renewal)

Please note that the course follows strict requirements from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and is in a different format from most Zur courses. While we originally submitted content we considered to be more engaging, the reviewers did not accept that content. Additionally, this course is entirely in PowerPoint format with no audio.

Assessing for child abuse and discerning whether to make a report to child and family services are among the most stressful responsibilities of mandated reporters. The decision can change the lives of the child and all family members, and it also can significantly impact social groups and communities. This course was designed to address the issues that mandated reporters must understand specific to child abuse the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The purpose of this advanced introductory/intermediate course is to help mental health professionals and nurses to appreciate the scope of the problem in Pennsylvania, become familiar with the child welfare laws in Pennsylvania, recognize the signs of abuse as defined by state law, and understand the issues surrounding mandated reporting. Clinicians will be guided step-by-step through the Child Welfare Portal. Case/reporting scenarios will be presented to test knowledge of key take-aways. Finally, the course reviews best practices when conducting virtual assessments and mandated reporters’ ethical responsibilities to reduce bias (whether explicit or implicit) surrounding child abuse. Course content consists of a PowerPoint presentation also available in audio format.

Though not officially part of the course, supplementary information includes of a copy of the CY47 form for filing reports of suspected child abuse, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ Child Protective Services 2023 Annual Report, and the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children’s 2022 State of Child Welfare – A System Under Stress: Examining How to Better Support Pennsylvania’s Child Welfare System and the Children and Families It Serves.

Educational Objectives

This course will teach the participant to

Provide definitions/categories of child abuse as outlined in the PA CPSL.
Identify common indicators of suspected child abuse and the basis for reporting (i.e., “reasonable cause to suspect” a child is a victim), according to the PA CPSL.
Describe the roles and responsibilities for mandated reporters of child abuse according to the PA CPSL, including how to make a report to ChildLine and what is not necessary (i.e., perpetrator identity, exclusions from child abuse, personal contact with child).

Syllabus

Scope of the Problem of Child Abuse in Pennsylvania
- Data from the 2023 Annual Child Protective Services Report
Child Welfare Laws in Pennsylvania
- The Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL)
- Pennsylvania Child Welfare System
  - Child Protective Services (CPS)
  - General Protective Services (GPS)
Mandatory Notification of Substance Affected Infants by Health Care Providers and Plan of Safe Care (Act 54 of 2018)
- Recognizing Child Abuse
- Three key components of child abuse
- Legal definition of perpetrator
- Legal definitions and indicators
- Child abuse
- Bodily injury
- Serious mental injury
- Serious physical neglect
- Sexual abuse or exploitation
- Severe forms of trafficking in persons
- Exclusions from child abuse
- Environmental factors
- Practice of religious beliefs
- Use of force for supervision, control, and safety purposes
- Rights of parents
- Participation in events that involve physical contact with child
- Child-on-child contact
- Defensive force
Reporting Suspected Child Abuse
- Reasonable cause to suspect
- Persons encouraged to report suspected child abuse
- Persons required to report suspected child abuse
- Privileged communications
- Reporting procedure
- Protections
- Penalties
- The Child Welfare Portal step-by-step
- Disposition of complaints received and responsibility for investigation
- Notice to mandated reporter
- Key Takeaways
Case/Reporting Scenarios
Conducting Virtual Assessments
- Challenges and how to overcome them
- Observing subtle and overt signs of child abuse
Reducing Bias in Decision-Making
- How can bias impact decision-making in cases of child abuse?
- What is explicit versus implicit bias?
- How does implicit bias relate to child abuse?
- What do studies reveal about racial disparity and disproportionality in the child welfare system in Pennsylvania?
- How can implicit bias be addressed?

PACA104_3N

April 1, 2026

Educational Objectives

This course will teach the participant to

Provide definitions/categories of child abuse as outlined in the PA CPSL.
Identify common indicators of suspected child abuse and the basis for reporting (i.e., “reasonable cause to suspect” a child is a victim), according to the PA CPSL.
Describe the roles and responsibilities for mandated reporters of child abuse according to the PA CPSL, including how to make a report to ChildLine and what is not necessary (i.e., perpetrator identity, exclusions from child abuse, personal contact with child).

Syllabus

Scope of the Problem of Child Abuse in Pennsylvania
- Data from the 2023 Annual Child Protective Services Report
Child Welfare Laws in Pennsylvania
- The Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL)
- Pennsylvania Child Welfare System
  - Child Protective Services (CPS)
  - General Protective Services (GPS)
Mandatory Notification of Substance Affected Infants by Health Care Providers and Plan of Safe Care (Act 54 of 2018)
- Recognizing Child Abuse
- Three key components of child abuse
- Legal definition of perpetrator
- Legal definitions and indicators
- Child abuse
- Bodily injury
- Serious mental injury
- Serious physical neglect
- Sexual abuse or exploitation
- Severe forms of trafficking in persons
- Exclusions from child abuse
- Environmental factors
- Practice of religious beliefs
- Use of force for supervision, control, and safety purposes
- Rights of parents
- Participation in events that involve physical contact with child
- Child-on-child contact
- Defensive force
Reporting Suspected Child Abuse
- Reasonable cause to suspect
- Persons encouraged to report suspected child abuse
- Persons required to report suspected child abuse
- Privileged communications
- Reporting procedure
- Protections
- Penalties
- The Child Welfare Portal step-by-step
- Disposition of complaints received and responsibility for investigation
- Notice to mandated reporter
- Key Takeaways
Case/Reporting Scenarios
Conducting Virtual Assessments
- Challenges and how to overcome them
- Observing subtle and overt signs of child abuse
Reducing Bias in Decision-Making
- How can bias impact decision-making in cases of child abuse?
- What is explicit versus implicit bias?
- How does implicit bias relate to child abuse?
- What do studies reveal about racial disparity and disproportionality in the child welfare system in Pennsylvania?
- How can implicit bias be addressed?