Shades of Gray: Mandated Reporting

It’s a scenario no lactation care provider wants to encounter, but which may happen in the course of your practice: finding yourself in a situation where a baby or child may be experiencing abuse or neglect. If it happens to you, will you know what to do? Particularly, will you know what laws govern your response as a healthcare provider and how to follow them?

By law, lactation support providers are mandated reporters, required to report all cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. In this course, Chanelle Andrews, BA, CBS, IBCLC, PMH-C, explores in depth what it means to be a mandated reporter. You will learn:

• How to recognize indicators of abuse and neglect.
• How to spot the influence of racial and other forms of bias, including the phenomenon of hotlining.
• How to respond in the moment when you suspect abuse or neglect.
• How to document what you see.
• How to file a report.
• What happens after you file a report.
• The consequences of failure to report.

Andrews illustrates each concept with lactation-specific examples and provides a clear set of action steps you can take now to ensure you leave this course informed, prepared, and ready to respond.

Owner of Hey Mama Lactation and Perinatal Care, Andrews is President of the New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition; a representative to the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee; an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University; and a licensed elementary teacher in New Jersey, USA.

Trigger warning: This course contains sensitive, difficult images and heavily discusses child abuse and neglect. Images or content may be difficult for some viewers.