Son assaulted by therapist

[JABJK]

My son is in a classroom in a city school that is run by therapists who are employed by a behavioral health company. The school has the classroom there for kids who need help managing behavioral and emotional issues. Last week one of the therapist physically and verbally assaulted my son. The school called me the next day to tell me. The place that the woman is actually employed through never contacted me to let me know what happened and the therapist who witnessed it isn’t allowed to talk to me about it. The school resource officer was at the school and took a report. He is currently collecting witness statements to file assault charges. The woman who assaulted my son is on administrative leave pending an investigation. Children services has not been contacted. My questions are 1. The school and behavioral health place are both mandated reporters but neither of them contacted Children Services. Are they not required to? 2. Does the behavioral health place really not have to tell me what happened to my son? 3. Should I have been contacted the same day to let me know my child was assaulted? 4. What can I do to make sure things are handled correctly moving forward? Thank you. Sorry if this is confusing.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

1. They seemed to have contacted the police. (The SRO)
2. Probably not as a contractor to the school.
3. That really depends on what exactly happened.
4. Lawyer Up.

 

[adjusterjack]

How old is your son, how was he assaulted, and to what extent, if any, was he physically injured.

"Assault" can mean a lot of things.

 

[JABJK]

He’s 12. He has special needs but no issues with communication. She grabbed his arm, yanked him out of a chair, yelled in his face calling him a baby and taunting him, then shoved him into a wall. Then another therapist went in and stood between them so she would stop. His arm was a little red and he told the officer his back hurt. He has PTSD from past trauma so it was pretty scary for him also.

 

[zddoodah]

The school and behavioral health place are both mandated reporters but neither of them contacted Children Services. Are they not required to?

Sounds like this has been or is in the process of being reported to the police. Since you didn't identify your state, we have no way of knowing whether that is or isn't sufficient under the mandatory reporting law.

Does the behavioral health place really not have to tell me what happened to my son?

Yes. Also, it's rather a moot point since you've been told.

Should I have been contacted the same day to let me know my child was assaulted?

Doesn't matter.

What can I do to make sure things are handled correctly moving forward?

Retain the services of an attorney.

 

[adjusterjack]

His arm was a little red and he told the officer his back hurt.

Take him to the doctor to document those conditions. Photograph the redness if it still shows.

It would also be a good idea to take him to an independent therapist (that you pay for) to document the emotional trauma.

Get a lawyer and treat the school as your enemy.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state?

What has your son said about the incident?

How do you know CPS wasn’t contacted?

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state?

What has your son said about the incident?

How do you know CPS wasn’t contacted?

Schools generally do at least a bit of investigating before they call CPS. The investigation might take only an hour or less in many circumstances, but generally they do not call CPS without some investigation. Kids say some pretty wild things sometimes and schools do like to make sure that there is at least some basis to call CPS.

I am not saying that the school in this instance did or did not do wrong. I am not expressing an opinion on that in this post. I am merely pointing out how things generally work.

 

[quincy]

The school obviously did some investigating, if a report was made by the school resource officer, witness statements taken, and the woman involved has been placed on administrative leave. Rarely will details of any active investigation be disclosed or discussed.