Mandated Reporting Training
SWG 510
Dea Applegate
Confidentiality and trust between the client and social worker is an important part of the therapeutic process. Confidentiality is discussed frequently with the client, in trainings, and in supervisions. When a client first begins services there are multiple forms to fill out, many of which explain the agency’s confidentiality policies and provide client’s the opportunity to agree to share information with certain parties (i.e. their PCP, psychiatrist, specialty providers) or not share any information at all. Despite this focus on confidentiality there are some areas where “the rights of others take precedence over a client’s right to confidentiality” (Hepworth, Rooney, Rooney, & Gottfried, 2017, p. 76). In situations where child abuse or neglect is
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In fact, “all 50 states have statutes making it mandatory for professional to report suspected or known child abuse. Moreover, statues governing the mandatory reporting of child abuse may contain criminal clauses related to the failure to report” (Hepworth et al., 2017, p. 76).
The Arizona Child Abuse Info Center provides readers with valuable information regarding mandatory reporting of child abuse for the state of Arizona. It is a thorough training that goes through signs of potential abuse in the four categories of abuse (sexual, physical, emotional and neglect), how to make a report, who to make a report to and the consequences of not reporting. It is an important training as many behavioral health workers will have children as their clients. Recognizing the signs of abuse and reporting them to the appropriate authorities is crucial to protecting the child from a potentially dangerous situation. Mandated reporters
Two individuals sought treatment with a Social Worker for their 8-year-old son for reasons unknown. As the social worker, I would apply social work ethical principles to guide my professional practice by making sure that I am knowledgeable of the liability and standard/duty of care issues as stated in the NASW Code of Ethics, be able to articulate and demonstrate social values, ethics, and principles, open to being challenged on the values and beliefs; have the ability to manage conflict regarding ethical issues, being able to reflect understanding of how to integrate ethics into practice, and recognize my personal values in a way that would allow my professional values to guide my practice (NASW, 2015). As a professional, one must practice personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual professional development. As the social worker, I would identify areas of strength as well as areas where improvement is needed, seek and act on corrective feedback from my supervisor or mentors, establish effective working relationships with clients and peers, and seek to resolve identified problems with performance of professional responsibilities.
Mandated reports are a genre that is a part of numerous careers. Mandated reports are used by mandated reporters which are designate groups of professionals that are required to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. A mandated report has a specific way that it has to be field out because the severity of the information is a massive part in helping save an abused or neglected child from being endangered. This research analyzes the difference between the different documentations in mandating reporting and how one reports various from another. The next step is to investigate where and who the forms are turned into. I’ll be looking at the Social Worker perspective because it’s the field of study I’m going in and would potentially help me when I begin my career in children and family services. Giving the information about mandated reports would educate me on the all the factual information needed after receiving a mandate report and from the information gathered, how do they deiced whether or not it’s a serious case or not. This research would uncover every aspect from beginning to end of the entire process of when a report is submitted up until the discussion is made on what to do after reviewing the information. The report is used my any profession to report suspect child abuse or neglect at any time or place. There is a different between different careers on how the report is written depending on the person submitting it. The very last step is going in depth with analyzing the actual form and comparing and contrasting it to other forms from different states. I want to also look at, the different between the forms, depending on who is the attended audience.
Chapter 135-7-03 of the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (2014) stipulates that confidentiality especially of client information must be observed at all times. The counselor should safeguard the client’s information to the extent stipulated by the law. The American Counseling Association (2005) incorporates confidentiality as part of their Code of Ethics. It requires counselors to keep the counselor-client relationship and information shared confidential. In the case of group counseling it stipulates that provisions must be stated that protect confidentiality. The counselor must clearly record and keep the client information confidential at all costs. According to the Texas certification Board of Addiction Professionals, the chemical dependency specialist has a duty to protect the privacy of clients and must not disclose information obtained fro...
...children, young people and their families can be both complex and difficult. Social work practice is one of the most challenging as it involves work with a diverse range of both professionals and service users. However, there is more that one single reason for this. As all professionals, agencies and parents continue to work together in various different cases, a variety of skills are required including: communication, preparation, intervention skills, assessment of significant harm, research of current legislation and decision making skills, all of which contribute to the complexities and difficulties of social work. It could be argued that these difficulties are highlighted most in many public cases of child abuse; moreover these cases can be seen to be changing social work practice, affecting the difficulties and complexities of working within this profession.
With respect to older women, the issue is that there is a serious lack in differentiating between elder abuse and domestic violence. The discrepancy causes confusion as to what agency to report either volunteered or mandated cases of abuse (Kilbane & Spira, 2010). Furthermore, it is because of reporting errors that victims of abuse may not receive the services that are congruent to the type of abuse (Kilbane & Spira, 2010) indicating, “…a lack of centralized reporting of cases….” (Kilbane & Spira, 2010, p. 165).
Participating in the Mandated Reporter Training is a helpful tool for understanding the role of a social worker as a professional if and when one learns information concerning abuse of a minor. The goal of a social worker is to improve the quality of life for all individuals and if one learns about any type of abuse-physical, sexual, emotional, and/or neglect- it is their responsibility to bring this information to the proper authorities. The training stated that, “Research has shown that when multidisciplinary protocols are followed arrest and prosecution rates increase and trauma to the child decreases” (Arizona Child Abuse Info Center).
National Association of Social Workers [NASW]. (1998). The New NASW Code of Ethics Can Be Your Ally: Part I. Retrieved from: http://www.naswma.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=96
Child Protective Services For 30 years, advocates, program administrators, and politicians have joined forces to encourage even more reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Their efforts have been successful, with about three million cases of suspected child abuse having been reported in 1993. Large numbers of endangered children still go unreported, but a serious problem has developed: Upon investigation, as many as 65 percent of the reports now being made are determined to be "unsubstantiated", raising serious civil liberties concerns and placing a huge burden on investigative staff. Unreported Cases Most experts agree that reports have increased over the past 30 years because professionals have become more likely to report apparently abusive and neglectful situations. But the question remains: How many more cases still go unreported?
Breaking confidentiality would threaten the goodwill and relationships within our group and could detriment group function. Protecting human relationships is a critical value in social work, and this worker strives “to promote, restore, maintain, and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities” (Code of Ethics - NASW, n.d.). Sharing confidential information would go against social work’s ethical principles and tarnish the integrity of this worker who is intentionally “moving toward adherence to one’s professed values” (Miller & Rollnick, 2012, pg.
...ise their professional skills and maintain discretion. Confidentiality is a big issue in social work.
Marson, S., & Bishop, O. (n.d.). Addressing nasw standard 1.07m privacy and confidentiality. Retrieved from http://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/ethics-articles/Addressing_NASW_Standard_1.07m_Privacy_and_Confidentiality/
Ethical practise is difficult to properly define. “Caseworkers, supervisors, and other staff should be guided by an overarching set of ethical standards that inform their decision-making and conduct when working with children, youth, and families. Relationships with clients and colleagues should be based on mutual respect, commitment, and honesty, and should take into consideration cultural differences and the right to privacy.” (U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 2003, Childwelfare.gov)
All social workers are beholden to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. Professional ethics are the main core of social work. The profession has an obligation to articulate its basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. The code is composed of thematic sections that outline a social worker’s responsibility to clients, colleagues, employers, and the profession. Some responsibilities that a social worker has to a client are that the clients are their primary responsibility, fostering maximum self-determination in clients, respecting the privacy of clients, keeping information that has been shared during the course of their duties confidential and charging fees for services that are fair and considerate
Her scientific casework methods are still used in assessing clients in today’s practice. The Social Work profession also built off her values of individuality, dignity, and importance of human relationships in the core values of the profession, these can be seen in the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics. While Social Workers still follow most of Richmond’s values today, other values have been re-evaluated as time has progressed. Instead of Richmond’s suggestions of gathering personal information without the client’s knowledge (Pumphrey, 1961), the Social Work profession now values confidentiality and privacy when dealing with clients.
...hat we work with, and treat them with respect. When you are working with a client you need to consider their cultural differences and to help to empower them. Building a relationship with your client helps to promote change. Social workers tend to have a bad reputation in the community and people often believe that the only things that social works do is turn you don for benefits and take children away. Developing a trusting relationship with your client is important to being able to help them effectively. Once a trusting relationship is developed between the client and social worker, the client is more forthcoming with issues that they may have and what they need help with. Being that those with disabilities have been ignored for so long or that they have had others that have tried to help them but didn’t, they may be more reluctant to divulge information.