During a telephone report, which items should be documented?

• A. Date and time of the call; agency called; name of the person taking the report; their title; and ID/badge number.
• B. Date and time of the call; agency called; name of the person taking the report; their title.
• C. Date and time of the call; caller's contact information only.
• D. The student's name and school.

Answer: (A)

Capturing who handles the report, when it was made, and how it was routed creates a clear, verifiable record. The essential items are the date and time of the call, the agency called, the name of the person taking the report, their title, and their ID or badge number. The date and time establish when the report occurred; the agency called shows where the information was directed and helps ensure it reaches the correct place; the name of the person taking the report identifies who logged the information and can be contacted for follow-up; the title confirms the staff member’s role and authority in handling the report; and the ID or badge number provides a unique identifier for verification and accountability.

If any of these are missing, the log becomes harder to verify or follow up on. For example, noting only the caller’s contact information omits who recorded the report and when it was received; listing just the student’s name and school omits the critical intake details about who logged the report and where it was routed; and leaving out the ID/badge number reduces traceability and accountability.