Child Abuse in an Educational Setting

Child abuse in an educational setting is an act of abuse by a school employee or volunteer to a student under 21 years old, where the act takes place on school grounds or in any location for school activities. Further information on child abuse in an educational setting can be found in Article 23-B of the Education Law.

Incidents of child abuse in an educational setting are different from incidents of child abuse by caregivers, as defined by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). Information on the policies and procedures related to child abuse by caregivers, including the responsibilities of mandated reporters, can be found on the OCFS website.

Reporting Allegations

Certain school employees and volunteers are required to follow a reporting process if they receive an allegation of child abuse in an educational setting. This includes the following:

• Reporting Requirements – This information outlines the required reporting process for allegations of child abuse in an educational setting.
• Report Form – This form is to be completed by any of the individuals above who witness or are made aware of a potential incident of child abuse in an educational setting. See the reporting requirements webpage for details on using this form.
• Submission – After the incident is reported and the allegation has been investigated by the school or district, the report form is submitted to the Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability (OSPRA).

Child Abuse in an Educational Setting Training

Effective June 5, 2019, all schools are required to establish, and implement on an ongoing basis, training in the identification and reporting of child abuse in an educational setting. Review Training Requirements for information on who is mandated to receive training and what the training must include.