What must a site administrator do if they suspect child abuse by another employee?

• A. Conduct the investigation alone and avoid reporting.
• B. File a suspected child abuse report if they cannot verify that reports were made.
• C. Notify only students.
• D. Ignore the suspicion if there is no direct evidence.

Answer: (B)

When someone working in a school setting suspects abuse, they are a mandated reporter and must act to protect the child. The important step is to report the concern to the appropriate authorities promptly, not to investigate the situation themselves. If you’re unsure whether a report has already been filed by someone else, you should file a suspected child abuse report to make sure the concern is on record and can be acted on. This protects the child and ensures the proper offices are notified.

Choosing to conduct an investigation alone or to avoid reporting undermines child safety and is not allowed. Notifying only students misses the responsibility and could put students at risk. Ignoring the suspicion because there’s no direct evidence also ignores the duty to report based on reasonable suspicion. The right action is to report and then follow district procedures, while documenting what was observed and maintaining confidentiality.