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As mandated reporters, educators and other school staff must remain informed on the topic of child abuse. School personnel represent the largest professional resource for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect in Texas. Education leaders can promote awareness of Texas laws and the safety of Texas students by developing effective reporting policies, programs, and employee training.

Ìýcovers child abuse reporting and programs. It specifies that:

• The agency must maintain on its website a list of links to sites that provide information regarding the prevention of child abuse and develop and periodically update a training program on prevention of child abuse that a school district may use for staff development.
• Each school district shall provide child abuse anti-victimization programs in elementary and secondary schools.

requires school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to:

• Adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children and include that policy in the district improvement plan and any informational handbook provided to students and parents. To see model policies visit Ìýwebpage for more information.
• Participate in a training on prevention techniques and recognition of sexual abuse and other forms of child maltreatment. Each school district and open-enrollment charter school must also maintain records that include the name of each district or charter school staff member who participates in the training.ÌýThis training must include:Ìý
  • factors indicating a child is at risk for sexual abuse or other maltreatment
  • likely warning signs indicating a child may be a victim of sexual abuse or other maltreatment
  • internal procedures for seeking assistance for a child who is at risk for sexual abuse or other maltreatment, including referral to a school counselor, a social worker, or another mental health professional
  • techniques for reducing a child's risk of sexual abuse or other maltreatment
  • community organizations that have relevant existing research-based programs that are able to provide training or other education for school district or open-enrollment charter school staff members, students, and parents
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• Maintain records that include the name of each district or charter school staff member who participated in the training.

Ìýrequires all school campuses to post in at least one high-traffic area, in both English and Spanish, a poster, at student eye-level, with information that includes the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Abuse hotline telephone number, instructions to call 911 and directions to the .

ÐÔÊ®°Ë.cc Student Reporting Posters:

ÐÔÊ®°Ë.cc No Go Tell Poster- English

ÐÔÊ®°Ë.cc No Go Tell Poster- SpanishÌý

Child Abuse and Neglect Resources for Texas Schools

The following links provide information on child abuse reporting requirements, training opportunities, awareness and prevention campaigns, and policy resources.

Reporting

Detailed information on the responsibilities and the process for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect is accessible on the (DFPS) website. Resources include tools and information specifically designed for school personnel.

• in Texas
• A for School Professionals
• one pager
• Reporting Suspected Abuse or Neglect of a Child in Texas:
• about reporting abuse

Training Opportunities

• Ìýare non-profits that serve as the first stop for children who have experienced sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, or witnessed a violent crime. CAC's are available to support Texas schools with implementation of required trainings. Local centers can provide more information on training opportunities and child abuse reporting information that may be available within your community. You can search for the local center that serves your school on the CAC website.
• The has a variety of training modules available on its website.
• is a non-profit dedicated to educating adults about the steps they can take to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse. Ìýis a trainingÌýavailable to all Texas school district and open-enrollment charter school employees. ItÌýis approved by ÐÔÊ®°Ë.cc for CPE credits. A certificate of completion is available after finishing the training. The training offers ease of use for districts through online and facilitator-led training options, along with the ability to track, monitor, and maintain records of training participants.Ìý
• Ìýthat includes video tutorials on mandatory reporting in the school setting. This web-based training tool and video module can be used to train school staff on how to make and file a report. A certificate of completion is available at the conclusion of the course.ÌýDFPS has throughout Texas. Please contact the DFPS Regional Education SpecialistsÌý(Word) in your region for more information on child abuse training for school staff.

Increasing Awareness and Prevention

• Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc. provides information and resources for Texas schools. Free posters, brochures, and banners are available to increase awareness.
• DFPS -
• Texas Association Against Sexual Assault has downloadable .
• Child Welfare Information Gateway: (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
• Child Welfare Information Gateway: (Tools, curricula, and programs designed to raise awareness and reduce risk factors related to child abuse from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
• - A resource packet for child abuse prevention campaigns.

Policy Resources

• The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Policy Service Model Student Handbook has information and resources on child abuse and maltreatment. TASB Policy Service includes child abuse and neglect reporting policies at TASB policy code FFG. Visit Ìýwebpage for more information.
• The Children's Advocacy Center of Texas has a
• - Investigation of Report of Child Abuse and Neglect
• and - Relating to Child Abuse Reporting and Training
• - Reporting on Child Abuse and Neglect