Reporting Potentially Missing or Abused Children
The Board of Education recognizes early detection of missing, abused, or neglected children is important in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of all children. In recognition of the importance of early detection of missing, abused, or neglected children, the Board of Education adopts this Policy pursuant to the requirements of N.J.S.A. 18A:36-24 and 18A:36-25. The Board provides this Policy for its employees, volunteers, or interns for the early detection of missing, abused, or neglected children through notification of, reporting to, and cooperation with the appropriate law enforcement and child welfare authorities pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36-24 and 18A:36-25 et seq., N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11.1, N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10, and N.J.A.C. 6A:22-4.1(d).
Employees, volunteers, or interns working in the school district shall immediately notify designated child welfare authorities of incidents of alleged missing, abused, and/or neglected children. Reports of incidents of alleged missing, abused, or neglected children shall be reported to the New Jersey State Central Registry (SCR) at 1-877 NJ ABUSE or to any other telephone number designated by the appropriate child welfare authorities. If the child is in immediate danger a call shall be placed to 911 as well as to the SCR.
The school district shall prominently display information about the Department of Children and Families’ State Central Registry, a toll-free hotline for reporting child abuse, in each school of the district. The information shall give instructions to call 911 for emergencies and shall include directions for accessing the Department of Children and Families’ website or social media platforms for more information on reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
The information shall be in a format and language that is clear, simple, and understandable. The information shall be on a poster and displayed at each school in at least one high-traffic, highly and clearly visible public area that is readily accessible to and widely used by students, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:33.28.
The person having reason to believe that a child may be missing or may have been abused or neglected may inform the Principal or other designated school official(s) prior to notifying designated child welfare authorities if the action will not delay immediate notification. The person notifying designated child welfare authorities shall inform the Principal or other designated school official(s) of the notification, if such had not occurred prior to the notification. Notice to the Principal or other designated school official(s) need not be given when the person believes that such notice would likely endanger the reporter or student involved or when the person believes that such disclosure would likely result in retaliation against the student or in discrimination against the reporter with respect to his or her employment.
The Principal or other designated school official(s) upon being notified by a person having reason to believe that a child may be missing or may have been abused or neglected, must notify appropriate law enforcement authorities. Notification to appropriate law enforcement authorities shall be made for all reports by employees, volunteers, or interns working in the school district. Confirmation by another person is not required for a school district employee, volunteer, or intern to report the suspected missing, abused, or neglected child situation.
School district officials will cooperate with designated child welfare and law enforcement authorities in all investigations of potentially missing, abused, or neglected children in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11.1(a)5.
The district designates the Supervisor of Support Services as the school district’s liaison to designated child welfare authorities to act as the primary contact person between the school district and child welfare authorities with regard to general information sharing and the development of mutual training and other cooperative efforts. The district designates the Superintendent or designee as the school district’s liaison to law enforcement authorities to act as the primary contact person between the school district and law enforcement authorities, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-6.2(b)1, consistent with the Memorandum of Agreement, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-6.2(b)13.
An employee, volunteer, or intern working in the school district who has been named as a suspect in a notification to child welfare and law enforcement authorities regarding a missing, abused, or neglected child situation shall be entitled to due process rights, including those rights defined in N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11.1(a)9.
The Superintendent or designee shall provide training to school district employees, volunteers, or interns on the district’s policy and procedures for reporting allegations of missing, abused, or neglected child situations. All new school district employees, volunteers, or interns working in the district shall receive the required information and training as part of their orientation.
There shall be no reprisal or retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports or causes a report to be made of a potentially missing, abused, or neglected child situation pursuant to N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.13.
N.J.S.A. 18A:33-28; 18A:36-24; 18A:36-25 et seq.
N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11.1
Revised: 30 July 2020
Adopted: 26 July 2005
Revised: 26 March 2008
Revised: 28 August 2014
Revised: 25 February 2016
Revised: 28 May 2018