School social workers and mandated reporting: exploratory results from a national survey

This study presents results from a national survey of 455 school social workers (SSWers) that examines training, reporting practices, and factors influencing decisions to report to child protective services (CPS). The majority (88.3%) of participants received formal mandated reporter training but only 66.3% found the training useful. Younger SSWers reported more frequently to CPS, and SSWers in schools with higher percentages of white students reported less frequently. Over 40% of participants made reports on children they did not perceive to be in imminent danger. The challenges of SSWers’ relationships to mandated reporting is discussed.