Child Abuse Recognition, Assessment, Reporting, and Prevention in Psychotherapy, Counseling, and Nursing

Developed by Julia M. DiFilippo, Ph.D., Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W

Course content available in articles, audio, transcripts, and video.

Course fulfills the California and other states’ Child Abuse Pre-licensing or Licensing Requirements.

Course also fulfills CA-BRN Public Health Nurse Certification requirement.

This course is also offered as part of a Pre-licensing Savings Package

Assessing for child abuse and neglect and discerning whether to make a report to child and family services are among the most stressful responsibilities of mental health and nursing professionals. The decision can change the lives of the child and all family members, and it also can significantly impact social groups and communities. In their role as mandated reporters, professionals must be competent in the clinical, ethical, and legal issues involved.

In this advanced introductory/intermediate course, divided into three sections, providers will learn to not only identify the indications of child abuse and neglect, which range from subtle indicators to profound abuse, but equally important, to be sensitive to the dangers of making false accusations. All content is provided in written and audio formats, and the select sections are also available in video format.

The first section of the course provides an overview of child abuse and neglect, focusing on legal definitions of child abuse and neglect, the scope of the problem, risk and protective factors, adverse childhood experiences, prevention strategies, and recognition of signs and symptoms in both in-person and virtual settings.

The second section of the course reviews statistics and interventions related to fatalities associated with child abuse, describes the effects of child maltreatment on brain development, and provides a historical perspective on prevention. Additional explores best practices in responding to child victims of human trafficking and challenges myths and preconceptions.

The third section addresses issues of racial and social justice related to child abuse and neglect. A framework is presented for mental health professionals to place their role in context, with the goal of reducing disproportionalities related to child abuse and neglect and promoting racial and social justice.

Though not officially part of the course, supplementary information consists of the most recent Child Maltreatment report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Supplementary information also includes materials of particular interest to mental health professionals who practice in New York and/or Pennsylvania.

Educational Objectives

This course will teach the participant to

Identify individual, family, and community risk factors and protective factors for child abuse.
Recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect in in-person and virtual settings.
Describe the effects of child maltreatment on brain development and implications for clinical practice.
Apply a framework to guide the process for considering racial and social justice when determining whether they are required by law to make a report to child protective services.

Syllabus

Section One: A Guide to Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting for Mental Health Professionals

Introduction

Federal and state legal definitions of child abuse and neglect
- Physical abuse
- Neglect and abandonment
- Sexual abuse/exploitation
- Emotional abuse
- Parental substance abuse
Risk and protective factors
Prevention strategies related to adverse childhood experiences
Conducting virtual assessments

Advanced Issues in Identification, Response, Reporting, and Bias

Child welfare, nursing and mental health professionals’ role
Responding to direct child disclosures
Reporting child abuse and neglect
- Mandatory reporters and training requirements
- Content of reports
- Special circumstances (military, tribal membership)
Understanding what happens after a report is made
- Initial screening procedures
- Coordination of investigating agencies
- Investigation procedures
Reducing bias in decision-making
- Explicit versus implicit bias
- Addressing implicit bias

Section Two: Interventions and Best Practices

Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities: Statistics and Interventions

Vulnerable groups
Nature of deaths
Perpetrators
Community response
Prevention of fatalities

Child Maltreatment and Brain Development

How the brain develops
Effects of maltreatment on brain development
Implications for clinical practice

Child Maltreatment Prevention: Past, Present, and Future

Scope of problem
Identifying and implementing quality programs
Future challenges and trends

Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Child Welfare Caseworkers

Scope of human trafficking
Intersection of human trafficking and child welfare
Risk factors
Working with children and youth who have experienced trafficking

Section Three: Addressing Issues of Racial and Social Justice

Mandated Reporting Through the Lens of Racial and Social Justice

Mandated reporting within context of ethical principles
- Autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence
- Social and racial justice
Historical development of mandated reporting
- Origins of mandated reporting in child welfare
- Expansion of mandated reporting beyond child welfare
- Socioeconomic status
- Quasi-criminalization
Exploring the roots of disproportionate impacts at different levels
Framework for “just” (as in “justice”) reporting
- Legal responsibility to report
- Evaluating influence of personal lenses to reporting decisions
- Ethical responsibilities for just practice when reports are and are not made

The Path to Racial Equity in Child Welfare: Valuing Family and Community

Specific, actionable policy recommendations

CA402_7N

March 12, 2026