Policies + Procedures — Governance + Compliance — Child Abuse Reporting

1.21 Child Abuse Reporting

I. Purpose

Bucks County Community College is committed to the prevention of child abuse. The college is also committed to complying with legal and ethical requirements for reporting child abuse. This policy establishes the responsibility and process for reporting child abuse when observed on college property.

II. Scope

All persons hired by the college in any capacity, volunteers and third-parties using college facilities are required to acknowledge having received this policy and are expected to comply with the policy and the associated procedures, as well as with applicable state law.

III. General

For purposes of this policy, child abuse means physical injury, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse inflicted on a child (as defined by Pennsylvania law) other than by accidental means, by those responsible for the child’s care, custody and control or by persons who are agents or employees of the college.

Any observer of child abuse of any kind has the affirmative duty to promptly report the matter directly to the President’s designee, the Director, Security and Safety. The observer of child abuse also has the option of reporting the incident directly to the State Child Line.

IV. Procedures

Any observer of child abuse of any kind has the affirmative duty to promptly report the matter directly to the President’s designee, the Director, Security and Safety. The observer of child abuse also has the option of reporting the incident directly to the State Child Line.
The Director, Safety and Security, shall complete an intake form which records and acknowledges that a report has been filed with the Security and Safety Office and shall provide the reporter with a copy of the completed form.
The Director, as a mandated reporter, shall call the State Child Line at 1-800-932-0313 if the person assaulted is a child. In the event of an active assault, the Director shall also call the police.
Immediately after notifying the Child Line and/or police, the Director, Safety and Security, shall notify the President of the college, the appropriate Vice President, and shall also notify the initial observer of the abuse of the date/time at which the incident was reported to Child Line.
The President shall notify the Chair of the Board of Trustees, who may direct that all Trustees be notified.
The President shall also notify the Executive Director, Human Resources, if an employee is involved, the Vice President, Student Affairs, if a student is involved, and the Executive Director, Public Relations, to prepare for media inquiries.
All parties shall keep a documentary record of the communications and timelines to aid in future investigatory processes.
If a child is involved, all offices are directed to cooperate with the related investigatory processes of the Children and Youth Services investigators, as well as the Office of Safety and Security and any police organizations.
A copy of this policy and procedure, as well as contact information for the Office of Security and Safety, shall accompany every application form that is sent to third parties seeking permission to use campus facilities. Such third-party individuals and groups shall be advised of their responsibility to comply with this policy and procedures and must acknowledge having received and accepted the responsibilities pursuant to the policy of the college.
Groups using campus facilities who will be bringing youth on campus shall, as a condition of use, must submit both their own policy on reporting child abuse and a certification (warranty + representation in legal terms) that their staff and volunteers who will be on campus have undergone background checks.