Safety and Integrity: Reason Enough to Not Disclose SHAROLYN WALLACE, PHD, LCSW, IMH-E®


, RPT-S


Several factors are to be considered when making the decision to not disclose to parents that you have made a report to Child Protective Services. First, consideration must be given to the child’s safety. The child may be in grave danger if the parent knows that a mandated report has been made and prior


to the investigation. A


frightened or unstable parent could further harm the child or hide the child from the investigative unit. According


to the Children’s Bureau (2019), it is unlawful to inform the parent that a mandated report has been made prior to the investigation in some jurisdictions so authorities can begin investigation without risking further harm to the child.


Second, consideration must be given to the clinician’s safety. Violence is on the rise in America and, as clinicians, we interact with many mentally and emotionally unstable individuals. Revealing to a parent that a mandated report has been made has the potential to result in   


The third factor for consideration is the integrity of the investigation and possible cross contamination of court testimony. Mandated reporting involves informing appropriate child protective services           District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands designate professions whose members are mandated by law to report child maltreatment…  child abuse or neglect is required to report” (Children’s Bureau, 2019, p. 2). These laws indicate a mandate to report, not to investigate. Should


can be put into place as awareness is brought to the abuse. Likewise, informing parents could preserve the therapeutic relationship. In many play therapy approaches, the therapeutic relationship is a  relationship may help save growth that has occurred and allow room for future healing.


Black There are times that necessitate not disclosing a report


to


caregivers. If the parent/legal guardian is the abuser, there is          with caregivers may bring more harm or punishment to the child, clinicians must necessarily maintain silence in order to protect the child. Withholding that a report has been made may allow the child protective services system to place the child in a safe environment. Withholding information about a mandated report may also preserve the therapeutic relationship with the child or caregivers. Maintaining


s


a clinician blur the roles of therapist and investigator, court testimony may be compromised as would the ethical responsibilities of the therapist’s clinical license.


It st is equally important


to preserve the trust that thet has established as thiss


child d with the therapist,


s may be the only person in whom the child is 


Finally, informing the parent that a mandated report had been made could severely damage the therapeutic relationship. The therapeutic relationship is built on trust and rapport. Although parents are        intake, parents and children may feel as though trust has been violated when they learn of the mandated report. Almost all states protect the clinician’s right to not disclose that they have made a report. (Children’s Bureau, 2019). It is equally important to preserve the trust that the child has established with the therapist, as this may        place great trust in their play therapists, perhaps saying, “My mom told me not to tell you but…” We teach children that if they are afraid or something is happening to them to tell a trusted adult. Disclosure of the mandated report could severely impair or even destroy the existing relationship and future willingness to disclose.


the therapeutic relationship as a priority for successful therapy          however, maintaining anonymity in reporting may depend on the clinician’s ethical viewpoint.


The Advantage of Grey Vision There is beauty in seeing grey in a black-or-white palette. Grey is   detriments of informing or withholding that a report was made. However, beauty does not automatically equate to comfort. To use only white or black, can create pain in itself. For example, a black- and-white outlook can produce a broken therapeutic relationship or an abrupt termination with the client all together. Similarly, deciding to see grey can be uncomfortable, but ultimately provides a lesson for future instances. This may show up as an internal struggle within the clinician to make a decision to inform or withhold. Choosing grey vision puts the child’s best interest in mind.


www.a4pt.org | September 2021 | PLAYTHERAPY | 17


COUNTER POINT


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