Announcement Concerning Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Trainings
Date: November 1, 2024
Effective January 1, 2025, the Department of Human Services (DHS) will no longer accept new Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Training Curriculum for review and approval. All Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Trainings that are currently approved by DHS will maintain approval.
All Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Training Curriculum that are submitted to DHS prior to January 1, 2025 will be reviewed as outlined in the Curriculum Approval Guidelines. All approved providers must update their curriculum and submit for DHS approval when legislative changes occur to the Child Protective Services Law.
Individuals or organizations who need to take a Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Training may still use any of the curriculums that are on the approved list of courses.
Additional information related to approved providers of Mandated Reporter Training can be found on the Keep Kids Safe website. DHS will continue to monitor the number of approved curriculums to ensure there is sufficient training available for mandated reporters.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) supports child abuse recognition and reporting training through a variety of delivery methods, including web-based and in-person.
View a list of additional approved courses for child abuse recognition and reporting training for mandated reporters.
DHS also contracts with:
- Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance provides training to school personnel, child care staff, clergy, law enforcement, public and private social service agencies, and social service professionals.
- Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatric to provide training to physicians, school nurses, hospital staff and Emergency Medical Service providers.
- The University of Pittsburgh's Child Welfare Resource Center to develop a free, web-based training. This training is approved in accordance with Act 126 of 2012 and Act 31 of 2104, for mandated and permissive reporters
Schools
Act 126 requires that all school entities (a public school, charter school, cyber charter school, private school, nonpublic school, intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school) and independent contractors of school entities provide child abuse recognition and reporting training to all employees, including contracted substitute teachers who have direct contact with children. For more information and for a list of approved trainings, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education's website.
Submit a Curriculum
Interested in submitting a curriculum for review and consideration for approval? Adhere to these guidelines:
- Curriculum Approval Guidelines
Prior to developing your curriculum/training presentation, please review this document in its entirety as you will need to submit a completed copy, with the page/slide numbers for each required section clearly identified, at the time of submission.
- Presentation Template
This may be used as a template for creating your training presentation but please ensure you change the design/theme. A completed copy of the Curriculum Approval Guidelines document, with the page/slide numbers for each required section clearly identified, must be submitted even if the Presentation Template is utilized. - Providers process + Appendix A
This process is for providers interested in offering continuing education (CE) credit in child abuse recognition and reporting for professional licensees identified as mandated reporters.
Additional Information
Email questions related to child protection to the Office of Children, Youth and Families.
* PLEASE DO NOT USE EMAIL TO REPORT ABUSE.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), which is in part comprised of the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.