Child Abuse and Neglect: California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act

The California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, or CANRA, was adopted in 1980. Since then, it's been amended several times, but essentially, the law requires mandated reporters to make formal reports of suspected child abuse to law enforcement authorities if they have knowledge of, or have observed, a child who the reporter knows, or reasonably suspects, has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. This definition often raises many questions. For example, how do you know if you're a mandated reporter? What signs should you look for? What's a "reasonable suspicion"? What happens if you see something, but choose not to report it? We'll answer these questions and more, here, in our course on CANRA.