All persons who are mandated reporters are required, by law, to report all known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. It is not the job of the mandated reporter to determine whether the allegations are valid. If child abuse or neglect is reasonably suspected or if a pupil shares information with a mandated reporter leading him/her to believe abuse or neglect has taken place, the report must be made.

To make a report, an employee must contact an appropriate local law enforcement or county child welfare agency, listed below. This legal obligation is not satisfied by making a report of the incident to a supervisor or to the school. An appropriate law enforcement agency may be one of the following:

• A Police or Sheriff’s Department (not including a schoolsecurity department).
• A County Probation Department, if designated by the county to receive child abuse reports.
• A County Welfare Department/County Child Protective Services. 

If the student is in immediate danger outside of school hours, call 911.

Suspected abuse/neglect by parents

1. Inform Director of Guidance and College Counseling that you are filing a CPS report
2. Complete the Suspected Child Abuse Report form (SS 8572)
3. Call the Santa Clara County Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline for any abuse or neglect happening in the home:

     Use the Palo Alto Area: (650) 493-1186

4. Follow-up with a fax of the report:

    Santa Clara County FAX# (408) 975-5851
    Include Saint Francis Fax Cover Sheet

    Wait for a printout of the fax transmission status

5. Give Director of Guidance and College Counseling a copy of the CPS report, Fax Cover Sheet, and the fax transmission printout
6. Counselor will put a copy of all documentation in the student’s file

Santa Clara County Mandated Reporter Online Resources

Suspected assault by others

1. Inform the Director of Guidance and College Counseling, Dean, or Principal that you have received information about an assault
2. Complete the Suspected Child Abuse Report form (SS 8572)
3. Call the local non-emergency line of the law enforcement agency of the city in which the alleged assault took place. 
   For Mountain View: (650) 903-6344
   For Los Altos: (650) 947-2770
4. Give involved administrator a copy of the report.