To whom must mandated reporters report suspected child abuse?

• A. Police Department
• B. School Principal
• C. The Department of Social Services (DSS) - Community Care Licensing Office.
• D. District Attorney

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that mandated reporters must alert the agency that has official responsibility for investigating and protecting children in the setting involved. In California, when the concern involves licensed child care or related licensed services, the appropriate recipient is the Department of Social Services’ Community Care Licensing Office. This office oversees licensing and can initiate protective services in coordination with the county’s child protective services and law enforcement as needed. That’s why this option is the best fit: it aligns with the agency that has both the authority and the process to evaluate and respond to suspected abuse in licensed care contexts. The other choices aren’t the required intake channel for this scenario: the principal is not the reporting authority, the district attorney handles prosecutions rather than intake, and while police can receive reports, the mandated reporter’s direct obligation is to contact the appropriate child protective services/licensing office.