Page 32 - Essential Advice for the Teaching Profession - Vol. 8

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Duty to Report
The Council of the Ontario College of Teachers approved this advisory on June 4, 2015, to remind members that they have a duty to report abuse and/or neglect of children and youth.
Each of us has a responsibility to protect children and youth from harm. As a pro- fessional educator working directly with students and supporting others who are, you have a legal and ethical duty to report to a children’s aid society when you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection.
Ontario’s Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CFSA) requires those who perform professional or official duties with respect to children to report suspected child abuse where there are reasonable grounds. A child is anyone under 16 (or appears to be) or who is 16 or 17 and subject to a child protection order.
You don’t have to be certain that a child may need protection. Suspicion on reasonable
grounds — information that an average person, using normal and honest judgment would need to decide — is reason enough to report. You have to report to a children’s aid society so that they can assess and deter- mine what the child needs.
Do you notice when children and youth have unexplained injuries, they’re not eating, they have poor hygiene or are falling asleep in class? These may be signs of family problems, abuse or neglect.
Do you know what prompts your duty
to report? Do you know to whom you report? Do you know the consequences of not reporting?
This advisory will help to address those questions.
Know your responsibility for student safety as an Ontario Certified Teacher.
Read the Professional Advisory — Duty to Report in its entirety by visiting oct-oeeo.ca/Duty-Adv.
28 ESSENTiAL ADViCE FOR THE TEACHiNG PROFESSiON