Mandated child abuse reporting

[Bridget399]

I am a teacher in a school who has been on the fence about reporting a parent for neglect. I've been documenting my finds and have gone through the chain of command but am not sure if what I'm seeing is reportable. (My supervisor of social services does not feel this is reportable.) Basically this young child has had lice for 6 months. I've worked with the parent, given her the shampoo and combs, and has even had the nurse offer to come to her house to help her (pick nits, wash all the bed sheets, etc.) My rapport with the parent has become very strained...

 

[ranchhand]

Ouch, you are squeezed between a rock and a hard place.

I would consider it reportable; if for no other reason than that lice get passed on to everyone else and may become a school wide problem. That, and the fact that you are required by law to report. It is up to the investigators to decide if it's actionable or not.

Best of luck in your tough situation.

 

[Bridget399]

I feel like if I don't report it, I'm not doing my job... Thanks for your input, this IS tough.

 

[magicpigeon]

Quote:
X2. Also would like to add that I had lice once, it was one of the WORST things that had ever lived off my blood, and I wouldn't let the poor kid suffer more than he/she already had with those awful parasites....

 

[TigerLilly]

I would think that if the child has had lice for 6 months, it is neglect, at the very least...contact the local health department?
Thank you for being concerned & wanting to do something about it.

 

[txhomegrown]

While this may not be reportable as child neglect, it surely should be reported to the county or city health officials before it spreads to the other kids. They will determine who else to report it to.

 

[silkiechicken]

Interesting, when I was in elementary school, they looked for lice and if they found them, you could not come back to school till they were gone.

 

[cassie]

Back in the dark ages when I was a kid, if you had lice you got sent home. Period. You were not allowed to stay in class if you had a head full of wee beasties. It was considered a health issue. I am surprised your school nurse hasn't done something.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Yes, neglect and also a health concern.

The child could become anemic and make her susceptible to other illness.

 

[pbjmaker]

In most school districts lice are so common they are now considered a nuisance disease and they will NOT send you home. Too many kids were missing too much school because the problem is not being taken care of properly or the lice are becoming immune to the pesticides used to kill them.

If you feel that you should report - then do so. I was always told to report then let the social services decide if they should investigate - it isn't the reporters job to weigh that decision. They may not investigate this problem, but if you report something, then someone else reports- all the little things start adding up and then they will investigate.