FCA-D: Child Abuse and Neglect

North Dakota state law mandates that school teachers and administrators having knowledge of or reasonable cause to suspect that children coming before them in their official or professional capacities are abused or neglected shall report the circumstances to Cass County Social Services.

Any other staff members having reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused should report such fact to their supervisors.

The law further provides that any person required to report, but who willfully fails to do so, is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.  In addition, any person who permits or encourages the unauthorized disclosure of reports made or confidential information obtained under the provisions of the law is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

Reports may be made orally; however, each oral report shall be followed within 48 hours by a written report made on the appropriate form available in the principal's office provided for this purpose by Cass County Social Services.

Any person, other than the alleged violator, participating in good faith in the making of a report or in providing protective services under this act, is immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that otherwise might result.

It shall be the policy that all employees of the West Fargo Public Schools shall cooperate in fulfillment of the purposes of this act.

Adopted: 10/14/75
Reviewed: 05/26/11
Revised: 02/28/83
04/22/85
10/26/98