How do States Inform Nurses of Their Policies for Mandatory Reporting of Child Maltreatment?

Every state includes nurses as mandated reporters of suspected child maltreatment, and each state has its own law and policy regarding what is reportable and reporting requirements. These differences mean that generic training on child abuse and reporting needs to be augmented by practical state-specific information. In nearly every study of nurses, participants report having inadequate child abuse training. This paper presents an analysis of the information states post on their websites to educate nurses to appropriately identify and report suspected child abuse or neglect. Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions: (1) how do mandated reporting laws that apply to nurses vary by state, (2) what information do states provide on their child protection and Board of Nursing websites about child maltreatment and mandatory reporting, and (3) what training resources do states make available on their websites to educate nurse mandatory reporters to ably fulfill their obligation? Data on state-by-state practices regarding mandated reporting of child abuse were gathered from the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN) database, review of state statutes, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Board of Nursing sites, and the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) website. This analysis found that states provide little guidance or education about their child maltreatment laws, and few have resources targeted for nurses. Given rising membership in the NLC it is critical for nurses to have education about state specific mandated reporting requirements. States should consider adding mandatory reporting training as a requirement for licensure and for continuing education.

A Retrospective Look at the Experience of Parental Incarceration and Family Reentry During Adolescence.

Few studies provide firsthand experiences of parental incarceration in adolescents' own voices. Fourteen young men and women retrospectively shared their experiences of parental incarceration and family reentry during adolescence. Individual interviews focused on the following qualitative research questions: (1) What is the experience of parental incarceration and reentry for adolescents? (2) How does the child-parent relationship change from pre- to postincarceration? Relationships with incarcerated parents tended toward estrangement. Negative emotions and need for emotional support were predominant in the sample. Findings have implications for improving mental health services for children and families, trauma work, and policy interventions across services.

Mandatory reporting for child protection in health settings and the rights of parents with disabilities.

This commentary considers the intersection of mandatory reporting in health settings and the public child protection system's treatment of parents with disabilities. Its impetus is the August 2015 technical assistance document issued jointly by the U.S. departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) that affirms the applicability of the ADA and Section 504 to child protection system (CPS) processes. The DOJ/HHS document speaks to actions of state child protection agencies and courts, without addressing the first step, mandatory reporting. Nonetheless, there are implications for how mandated reporters understand child risk in the presence of disability, and health settings are one venue where mandated reports initiate. This commentary seeks to provide medical professionals with greater understanding of the CPS process and its intersection with disability rights. It concludes that mandatory reporter training must include ADA principles for addressing disability so parents are not unnecessarily reported for investigation.

KinNet:A Demonstration Project for a National Support Network for Kinship Care Providers.

The KinNET project came into existence because of the need to support a growing number of grandparents and other relatives providing care for children within the foster care system. It was a demonstration project funded by the Children's Bureau designed to create a national network of support groups for older relatives-mostly grandparents-caring for children in and associated with the foster care system. Grandparents and other relatives are an invaluable resource to the child welfare system. However, these caregivers are also an overburdened population that needs creative and supportive interventions to enhance their capacity to provide quality care and reduce the risks to the children. In this intervention the support group approach was tested (a replication of the Brookdale Foundation model with project management from Generations United). Support groups often provide kinship caregivers with access to important emotional and community support, information and referral, relaxation, and respite. This article briefly describes the project, a profile of the caregivers (n = 102) and the children in their care (n = 226), and highlights from the survey data. In addition, we discuss the three key lessons learned from the project and make recommendations to better serve this population. doi:10.1300/J045v22n03_14.