A bill introduced in the NY State Legislature would replace anonymous child abuse and neglect reports with confidential reports, requiring callers to the State Central Registry to provide identifying information when making a report.
Oftentimes the State Central Registry (SCR) is used as an extension of abuse, power and control. There are instances where biological family members will report foster parents to the SCR and make outlandish claims that discredit their ability to parent. Families can use the SCR threat as control during custody issues. Also, a big issue is how domestic violence is viewed and the way false reporting can endanger children and victims trying to escape an abusive situation. An abuser or family member — or anyone else — may make a false report. This furthers the process of demonetization and victim blaming.
New York state Senate bill #5572 (S5572) would require callers making reports of suspected child abuse or maltreatment to provide their name and contact information to deter malicious reporting. The proposed bill would replace anonymous reporting with confidential reporting.
What Would the Bill Change for Families?
SCR reports are made at the state level and investigated at the local level. The SCR system would be to be changed to accept confidential calls — meaning taking down the identity of a person making a report. They will then determine if it’s credible. the idea being that if a person was making a false report and are asked for a name and phone number, it would make a reporting person think twice. But because the state doesn’t ask for that information, anyone can call at any time.
With anonymous calls, reports are untraceable. But with confidential calling, it allows for a tracking method to be implemented, so that the child welfare system can say, “We see that twice, the same person has called. Both cases have been unfounded.” That can help. It can be the difference between whether someone will be re-victimized or will have the ability to hold on to normalcy in their household.
ACS, the New York City child welfare agency, would hear the claim from someone being investigated that the report was false and malicious. That needs to be taken into account, documented and investigated. So while collecting data at the state level will deter calls, ACS will need to investigate cases as having the potential to be false and malicious. It is not just written policy, it is a behavior and practice change.
This change would help to re-establish normalcy in households that have been disturbed by unwarranted CPS intervention; reducing both the fear and trauma that an unneeded removal would force upon the children.
How Can Parents Support Passage S5572?
To get involved to support passage of S5572, reach out to your elected officials in the New York State legislators in support.
The Coalition has also published a report on the subject:
Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York Publishes Research Report on the Dangers of Allowing Anonymous Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Maltreatment Calls to the Statewide Central Register (SCR)
Report states that anonymous calls are associated with over-reporting of child maltreatment which constitutes a significant drain on the child welfare system. READ MORE
New York Times Article Jonah E. Bromwich and
Lawyers for a group of New York City parents argue that the Administration for Children’s Services uses “coercive tactics” that traumatize the families it is charged with protecting.
First-of-Its-Kind Civil Rights Lawsuit Shows How Administration for Children’s Services’ Widespread Practice of Searching Homes and Children’s Bodies Without Court Approval or Emergency Circumstances Traumatizes Families and Children.
Unconstitutional Practice Predominantly and Disproportionately Harms Black, Hispanic, and Low-Income New Yorkers.
The NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) is expanding its work to help parents better understand their rights at the outset of a child protective investigation. The announcement comes following the completion of an initial pilot program in parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx, in which child protective specialists distributed over four hundred notifications to parents who were the subject of an allegation of child abuse or neglect. The notifications explain that, while ACS has a legal requirement to assess the safety of the child, parents are not required to let ACS into their homes and can seek the assistance of an attorney. If ACS is not allowed to check a child’s safety as required, the notification explains that ACS may seek permission from Family Court to complete the assessment. Commissioner Jess Dannhauser today announced that ACS will begin distributing written notifications to families in two more zones, with full implementation planned by July of 2024.