Child Abuse

FLAG Little League takes our players safety on and off the field very seriously. All FLAG volunteers are mandated reporters under Federal and Pennsylvania Law, "Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and SafeSport Authorization Act of 2017" also known as SafeSport Act and Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL), Section 6311. FLAG volunteers are mandated to report any suspicion of Sexual or Physical Abuse against a child.

On this page you will find more information on how to report a suspicion of child abuse for both mandated reporters and any other adult.

GOOD FAITH PROTECTION

Under the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL), Section 6311.4 Immunity from liability, as amended:

Presumption of good faith.- For the purpose of any civil or criminal proceeding, the good faith of a person required to report pursuant to section 6311 (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse) and of any person required to make a referral to law enforcement officers under this chapter shall be presumed unless actual malice is proven.

FALSE REPORTING PENALTIES

Under the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL), Section 6311.4 Immunity from liability, as amended:

False reports.- Any person who intentionally makes a false report of suspected child abuse against a school, private residential rehabilitative institution, detention facility, school employee, private residential rehabilitative institution employee or detention facility employee commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.

A false report is a report of child abuse and/or neglect that is made to the ChildLine, which is not true and is maliciously made for the purpose of:

Harassing, embarrassing, or harming another person;
Personal benefit for the reporting person in any other private dispute involving a child;
Personal financial gain for the reporting person;
Acquiring custody of a child.

Mandated Reporters in FLAG Little League

FLAG Volunteers are mandated to immediately report any suspicion of child abuse.

If the abuse is an emergency situation which is when a child appears to face an immediate threat of abuse and/or neglect that could result in his/her death or serious harm call 911 immediately. After calling 911 you will need to call ChildLine to report the abuse and the 911 call.

If you need to report instances of abuse and/or neglect of children that do not require an emergency response please call ChildLine Immediately or report online through their mandatory reporter portal.

Emergency: 911
ChildLine: 1-800-932-0313

After reporting the suspected abuse to ChildLine, FLAG Mandatory Reporters must then alert FLAG's President and Executive Vice President of abuse reported to ChildLine. This allows FLAG executives to get more detailed information on the child who may be experiencing child abuse to ChildLine and the proper authorities.

President: Dan Maher 814-873-5589
Executive Vice President: Alex Samples 814-449-8401

Information that ChildLine may ask for when reporting:

Name and physical description of the child
Age or approximate age range of the child
Name, home address, and telephone number of legal guardian or parent of the child
Name or physical description of suspected child abuse perpetrator
Home address and telephone number of suspected child abuse perpetrator
Suspected perpetrator’s relationship to the child
Description of the suspected injury to the child
Where the incident took place
Any concern for the child's immediate safety
Your relationship to the child
Your contact information, although you may report anonymously if you are a permissive reporter

Please call ChildLine Immediately even if you are unsure of the information above. FLAG Executives will alert ChildLine and other proper Authorities of the details above.

Permissive (Non-Mandatory) Reporters

Permissive reporters are individuals who are encouraged to report suspected child abuse, although not required by law. Permissive reporters can make a report at any time they suspect a child is the victim of child abuse. Permissive reporters may report anonymously. Permissive reporters can report by telephone by calling 1-800-932-0313.

If the abuse is an emergency situation which is when a child appears to face an immediate threat of abuse and/or neglect that could result in his/her death or serious harm call 911 immediately. After calling 911 you will need to call ChildLine to report the abuse and the 911 call.

If you need to report instances of abuse and/or neglect of children that do not require an emergency response please call ChildLine Immediately.

Emergency: 911
ChildLine: 1-800-932-0313
ChildLine TDD (Telephone Device for the Deaf): 1-866-872-1677

ChildLine

ChildLine is part of a mandated statewide child protective services program designed to accept child abuse referrals and general child well-being concerns, and transmit the information quickly to the appropriate investigating agency. ChildLine has Trained specialists who are responsible for receiving verbal and electronic referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those referrals include: suspected child abuse, suspected neglect of a child, and general child well-being concerns.

Emergency: 911
ChildLine: 1-800-932-0313
ChildLine TDD (Telephone Device for the Deaf): 1-866-872-1677

Failure to Report Child Abuse

FAILURE TO REPORT PENALTIES

IAW House Bill 436:

Failure to report or refer. -
1. A person or official require by this chapter to report a case of suspected child abuse or to make a referral to the appropriate authorities commits an offense if the person or official willfully fails to do so.
2. An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if
  1. The person or official willfully fails to report;
  2. The child abuse constitutes a felony of the first degree or higher; and
  3. The person or official has direct knowledge of the nature of the abuse.
3. An offense not otherwise specified in paragraph (2) is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
4. A report of suspected child abuse to law enforcement or the appropriate county agency by a mandated reporter, made in lieu of a report to the department, shall not constitute an offense under this subsection, provided that the report was made in a good faith report to comply with the requirements of this chapter.
Continuing course of action. – If a person’s willful failure under subsection (A) continues while the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe the child is actively being subjected to child abuse, the person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree expect that if the child abuse constitutes a felony of the first degree or higher, the person commits a felony of the third degree.
Multiple offenses. – A person who commits a second or subsequent offense under subsection (A) commits a felony of the third degree, except that if the child abuse constitutes a felony of the first degree or higher, the penalty for the second or subsequent offenses is a felony of the second degree.
Statute of limitations. – The statute of limitations for an offense under subsection (A) shall be either the statute of limitation for the crime committed against the minor child or five years, whichever is greater.