Knowing what to do when you observe unexplained injuries — report to the teacher immediately without questioning the student.
At a glance
When: You notice a possible sign of abuse or neglect.
Remember: Reasonable suspicion, not proof. You're a mandated reporter in every U.S. state. The law may let someone else file it, but make the report yourself — investigators get the most accurate account from the person who actually witnessed it. Follow your district's procedure and confirm it reaches CPS.
What strong practice looks like — and why.
The scenario you saw
While assisting a student after an accident, you notice unexplained bruising on their arm that wasn't there last week. What do you do?
Before you read on — what would you do here? Picture your move, then reveal how strong practice handles it.
You note exactly what you saw and where, and you go straight to the teacher — not at the end of the day, right away. You don't ask the student about it. Here's what matters legally: school staff are mandated reporters in every U.S. state. The legal standard is reasonable suspicion, not certainty or confirmation — you don't need to prove anything before reporting. Many laws let you satisfy the duty by 'causing' a report to be made (for example, through a designated school official), so telling the teacher can be a legitimate first step. But best practice is to make the report yourself — investigators get the most accurate, complete account from the person who directly witnessed it. Good-faith reporters have legal immunity from civil and criminal liability in most states. Follow your district's procedure, and confirm the report actually reaches CPS; know your district's chain.
Why this works
Noticing possible abuse is not the same as accusing anyone — you're handing a concern to the people whose job, training, and mandate it is to look into it and keep the child safe. You don't need to be sure, and confirming what happened isn't your role: the standard is reasonable suspicion, not proof. So you note exactly what you saw and where, report it right away, and don't question the student (that can compromise a later investigation). 'I might be wrong' isn't a reason to stay silent — good-faith reporting is protected.
What to look for
Recall is where it sticks — a few quick scenarios.
Reading is useful, but recall is where it sticks. Three short scenarios, low-stakes, no scoring — about 3 minutes. You can stop any time.
Start the practice set →Short on time? Start with the first one.
Scope & safety
School staff are mandated reporters in every U.S. state. The law often lets you satisfy the duty by 'causing' a report to be made (e.g., through a designated official), so telling the teacher can be a legitimate first step — but best practice is to make the report yourself: investigators get the most accurate, complete account from the person who actually witnessed it, and a relayed report loses detail. Follow your district's procedure and confirm the report reaches CPS. Know your state's and district's rule.
Child Welfare Information Gateway (U.S. DHHS)
Federal overview of who is a mandatory reporter and what to do when you observe unexplained injuries.