In mandated reporting scenarios, who must be notified?

• A. Only the child's extended family
• B. The designated child-protective services authority as required by law
• C. The funder
• D. The general public

Answer: (B)

When someone who works with children is aware of possible abuse or neglect, they are legally required to report it to the authority that handles child protection. The essential recipient is the designated child-protective services authority, the agency empowered by law to receive reports, assess risk, and arrange protective services. Reporting to family members, funders, or the general public isn’t how mandated reporting works, and those parties don’t have the legal role to initiate child protection actions. Reports are typically confidential, and there are timeframes in which they must be made to ensure the child’s safety. So, the required notification is to the designated child-protective services authority as required by law.