Mandatory_Reporting

Mandatory Reporting An increasingly common issue in today’s society is child abuse. A high percentage of child abuse takes place within family, involving physical and/or mental assault. In many cases the victim is pressured into keeping the abusive acts quiet, placing an additional burden on them. Mandatory reporting is one of the only options that is playing an effective role in abuse. Abuse is defined in the dictionary as ill-treatment, insult, words abusing another person. Compared to the Child and Young Persons Act (1989) definition of child abuse which is delineated under the four categories, Physical, Sexual, Emotional abuse and Neglect, a strong similarity is present. Children who are victims of these four categories of assault have available options to protect themselves, if they are confident to speak out. There are many who can help. If the child is not confident in talking to a member of the family or a friend, different options are accessible. Services are available including health centres, counselling support centres, phone help lines. Professions including teachers, police officers, medical practitioners and psychologists are obliged to notify the Secretary of the Department of Human Services of any suspected physical or sexual child abuse. The Government did not abuse, child, reporting, mandatory, children, towards, should, physical, options, help, benefits, victoria, victims, states, prevent, place, law, government, family, compulsory, community, close, cases, available, themselves, sexual, services, required, public, programs, professions, police, person, member, including