Child Molestation Reporting - Liability Question

[Malachi Tache]

What is the name of your state? Indiana

There is a small home-school support group in Indiana looking for advice. The group is a volunteer group of home schooling families and is not incorporated.

One family has alleged that their young child was molested by an older child (also in the group) during an encounter at a park. They are planning to press charges against the teenager and have asked the leaders of the home-school support group to send a letter to all members to inform them of the situation and inquire into the possiblity that their children may have been exposed to a possible child molestation.

Of course, the leaders of the support group would like to help, however, they are concerned about any liability in sending a letter out with information about of such a nature. Even a generic reference would raise great concern and the family of the teenager may take action against the leaders for printing something of this nature.

Is there a way they can help get word out to parents who deserve to know of such an allegation without exposing the leaders of the group to a lawsuit? What obligations do the leaders have in such a situation?

 

[outonbail]

Their first obligation is to see that the children are kept safe from harms way. This should be a no brainer. Tell them to stop worrying about themselves and take whatever measures are necessary to ensure there is no threat to any children, either now or in the future.

 

[garrula lingua]

As far as I know 'teachers' are mandated reporters of child abuse, in every state.

You all appear to be 'teachers' and should always report any abuse - physical or sexual.

I would call Dept of Children Services & I would call the local cop-shop.

I agree parents have a right to know of any possible danger to their children; any and all allegations should be reported. I'd call a meeting and report this verbally.

You don't say whether the children were at the park as part of the 'home school' activities. If so, you need a meeting to ensure that you have procedures in place protecting the children, or cut out the field trips if the young ones are not always protected from any predetors (plenty of those in the park). You need to advise all parents of safety procedures in place & they may have ideas of new ones. Also, maybe you need more people supervising the children, or need to separate some************** Good luck. Maybe this allegation is wrong, and the older child did not do anything wrong...