Resources

 

Definitions

 

Alabama law defines child abuse as “harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare.  A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 years.  Harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare can occur through non-accidental physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or attempted sexual abuse or sexual exploitation or attempted sexual exploitation.  Sexual abuse includes the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or having a child assist any other person to engage in any sexually explicit conduct or any simulation of the conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of the conduct; or the rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children as those acts are defined by Alabama law.  Sexual exploitation includes allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution and allowing, permitting, encouraging or engaging in the obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depicting of a child for commercial purposes.

 

Alabama law defines child neglect as “negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child, including the failure to provide adequate food, medical treatment, supervision, clothing, or shelter.”  [Code of Alabama 1975, Chapter 26-14-1]

 

 

Reporting

 

If an employee or volunteer or member of West Hartselle Baptist Church suspects that a child is being abused, the person should immediately notify the adult in charge of the activity and the youth minister to make them aware of the concerns.  Non-offending parents should also be notified immediately if the abuse occurs in the church setting.  The person alleged to be responsible for the abuse should be isolated from having further contact with children until authorities can properly investigate the situation.  The youth minister will make the minister aware of the situation.  It will be the responsibility of the youth minister or his designee to contact the appropriate authorities to make them aware of the suspected abuse. The initial report is to be made verbally either in person or via telephone and followed up with a report in writing within the next three business days.  Other church personnel will be involved only as needed in order to respect the confidentiality of the child and families involved.

 

At no time, should a child be put at risk due to failure to promptly notify law enforcement and/or the Department of Human Resources.

 

In the event that the child is suspected of being abused by someone in the immediate family, such as a parent or caregiver, the designated church official will immediately contact the appropriate law enforcement or Department of Human Resources.

 

The person who contacts authorities need only suspect that the child is being abused or neglected.  It is the job of properly trained law enforcement and DHR child protective workers to conduct the investigation.  It is not necessary - and in fact can be damaging – for the child to be questioned at length when making a disclosure of abuse.

 

The person making the report should be prepared to give the child’s name, age, parents’ names, and home address as well as a description of the incident and what the child said about the abuse using the child’s own words.  The person will also be asked to give information about the person or persons who may have harmed the child.  The Department of Human Resources can investigate reports made anonymously, but reporters are encouraged to give their names and contact numbers in the event that the child cannot be located or additional information is needed.  The names of reporters are kept confidential unless the court orders the identity of the reporter to be disclosed during a hearing.

 

Any person may make a report to the Department of Human Resources or local law enforcement agency if such person has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is being abused or neglected. [Code of Alabama 1975, Chapter 26-14-4]  Alabama law provides for immunity from civil suit of individuals who make a child abuse report in good faith.  It is the responsibility of the person who suspects the abuse to see that the proper authorities are notified so that the child is not put at risk of further harm.

 

During work hours, the Department of Human Resources can be contacted at 256-340-5840 and after hours – nights, weekends, and holidays – by calling 1-800-923-5586.