SENATE BILL 1493

• “At least once a year, a program shall be offered which includes a component of teacher training on recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect which all teachers shall be required to complete.”

WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE

• PHYSICAL ABUSE

• Non-accidental physical injury to a child under the age of 18.

WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE

NEGLECT

failure to provide a child under the age of 18 with basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, educational opportunity, protection, or supervision

WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE

• SEXUAL ABUSE: sexual exploitation of a child or adolescent for the gratification of the perpetrator or another person.

WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE

• PSYCHOLOGICAL MALTREATMENT:

• REJECTING, TERRORIZING, ISOLATING, EXPLOITING, CORRUPTING, AND/OR DENYING EMOTIONAL RESPONSIVENESS.

WHO IS REQUIRED TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE?

• State law requires EVERY PERSON, private citizen or professional, who has reasonable cause to believe that a child under 18 is being abused or is in danger of being abused, to report the suspicion of abuse to the Department of Human Services in the county where the abuse occurred.

WHO IS REQUIRED TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE?

Any person, who knowingly and willfully fails to promptly report any incident of child abuse may be reported by DHS to local law enforcement for criminal investigation. A person reporting in good faith, however, is immune from both civil and criminal prosecution.

WHO IS REQUIRED TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE?

• In accordance with Oklahoma Law, teachers are required to report suspected cases of physical abuse or neglect involving students to the statewide toll-free hotline of the Department of Human Services. The statewide DHS hotline number is 1-800-522-3511.

HOW DO WE REPORT ABUSE IN OTPS

If a telephone report is made to DHS, a written report from the person making the report must follow and should be sent to the building principal who will advise the Superintendent’s office using form FFG-E. When reporting, we need to remember that we are not placing judgment on the situation—but merely reporting and should stay with facts only.

DO STUDENTS MEET WITH DHS

• At the request of appropriately identified investigators of DHS and/or district attorney’s office, the principal may permit investigators access to the student. The counselor or other employee assigned by the principal must be present, but shall not participate in the investigator’s interview with the student.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• PHYSICAL ABUSE—• Bruises, welts, black eyes, burns, frequent injuries• Reluctance to sit down, change clothes for

physical education, wearing long sleeves even in hot weather

• Lack of expression of anger or pain;absence of joy• Fearful, distrustful, “too eager” to please, chronic

runaway (in the case of adolescents)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• SEXUAL ABUSE• Sexually transmitted disease in a young child• Difficulty in walking or sitting• Pregnancy in young child• Unusual seductive behavior• Drawings or writing with strong sexual theme• Overly sophisticated knowledge or interest in

sexual acts• Suicide attempts—especially in adolescents

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• Neglect• Frequent truancy or school dropout

• Obvious malnourishment

• Inappropriate dress for weather, torn, dirty clothing

• Body and hair unclean

• Fatigue, listlessness; a failure to thrive

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT• Speech disorders• Habit disorders—thumb sucking, biting, rocking• Conduct disorders—antisocial, destructive, withdrawn• Developmental lags—mental, emotional• Delinquent behavior• Overly adaptive behavior—may be inappropriately

adult or infantile• Substance abuse

INDICATORS OF PARENTS WHO MAY BE ABUSIVE

• Significant crisis in family, death, divorce,illness, drug, alcohol problems

• Little concern for child’s problems• Aggressive or defensive about child• Child’s injury blamed on third party• Unreasonable explanation given for injury• Unreasonable expectations of child• Low frustration level• Immaturity• Poor self image—Abused as children themselves

Bullies: Who's A Bully? Bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Some get in trouble a lot. Some are popular kids who seem to "have it all," with lots of friends and good grades. But look inside their heads and you'll find one thing that they all have in common: Something or someone is making them feel insecure, so they're bullying to make themselves feel better or to gain power over another. She's having problems in other parts of her life, like something going on in her family or struggling with school. He may not feel like he's getting enough attention from parents or teachers. She's watched her parents or older siblings get their way by being angry or pushing other people around. He's being bullied himself, maybe by another kid or a brother or sister...or even his own parents.

What you can do to help!• Create an environment of No Tolerance for bullying in your

classroom, on your bus, and in your school and its activities.• Encourage your students to come to you for assistance.

Reinforce that it is not “tattling” to seek help. Let students know resource people within your building to go to.

• Gather all pertinent information then inform your administrative team of the situation.

• Become observant to possible situations and supervise closely.

• Confront the bully in private. Doing so in public can reinforce the behavior and make things worse for the victim.

Questions & Comments

• Should you have questions related to student suspected of abuse or neglect or bullying, questions related to this policy and practice, or questions and any school district policy, please contact your site counselor or principal for clarification.