Ventura Child Abuse & Neglect

To be accused of child abuse and/or child neglect is a very serious charge and one that you will want to have legal representation when you are brought in front of the Ventura Courts. In order to understand the seriousness of the charge, the following information is provided by Tim Quinn Criminal Defense Attorney practicing law in Ventura.

California Child Abuse Reporting Law

The very first child abuse reporting law for the State of California was first enacted in the year 1963. That early California law mandated that

only physicians were to report physical child abuse. Over the following years there have been numerous amendments that have

expanded the definition of reportable California child abuse and the persons required to report it. It is important for California mandated reporters to keep updated on periodic amendments to the law.

Your local California Child Abuse Prevention Council or county welfare department has current reporting California law information. Also visit www.leginfo.ca.gov for updated California information on the law and any other code section referenced in this material.

The California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Law is currently found in California Penal Code (P.C.) Sections 11164 - 11174.3. The following is only a partial description of the California law. Mandated reporters should become familiar with the detailed requirements as they are set forth in the California Penal Code.

Who Are Mandated California Reporters? P.C. 11165.7 defines “mandated reporters” as

any of the following:

1) A California teacher.

2) An California instructional aide.

3) A teacher’s aide or a teacher’s assistant employed by any public or private school.

4) A classified employee of any California public school.

5) A California administrative officer or supervisor of child welfare and attendance, or a certificated pupil personnel employee of any public or private school.

6) An California administrator of a public or private day camp.

7) An administrator or employee of a public or private youth center, youth recreation program, or youth organization.

8) An administrator or employee of a public or private organization whose duties require direct contact and supervision of children.

9) Any employee of a county office of education or the California Department of Education, whose duties bring the employee into

contact with children on a regular basis.

10) A licensee, an administrator, or an employee of a licensed community care or child day care facility.

11) A Head Start program teacher.

12) A licensing worker or licensing evaluator employed by a licensing agency as defined in P.C. 11165.11.

13) A public assistance worker.

14) An employee of a child care institution including, but not limited to, foster parents, group home personnel, and personnel of residential care facilities.

15) A social worker, probation officer, or parole officer.

16) An employee of a school district police or security department.

17) Any person who is an administrator or presenter of, or a counselor in, a child abuse prevention program in any public or private school.