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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, 125,000 children are abused or neglected each year
3in Illinois, and one in five children will be abused before
4they become 18 years old; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Children and Family
6Services estimates as many as 100,000 cases of abused and
7neglected children go unreported each year; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Children will tell an average of seven adults that
9they are being abused or neglected before a report is made; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Every delay in reporting suspected abuse or
11neglect increases the likelihood that abuse will become more
12serious, or even deadly, and that the perpetrator will likely
13abuse additional children; and
 
14    WHEREAS, There are numerous professions that are required
15by law to be mandated reporters of abuse or neglect of a child,
16such as medical professionals, teachers, social workers, and
17ministers; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Such mandated reporters are required to sign a
19statement prior to the start of their employment that states
20that the employee has knowledge and understanding of being a

 

 

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1mandated reporter; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Some professional organizations have taken it
3upon themselves to create training programs for their employees
4who are mandated reporters so that they better understand their
5responsibilities and can better recognize signs of child abuse
6and neglect; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Children and Family
8Services offers free online training to help all mandated
9reporters understand their role in protecting children by
10recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect; therefore,
11be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Department
14of Children and Family Services to develop a plan to raise
15awareness of its free online training in recognizing and
16reporting child abuse and neglect; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Department shall draft a report no later
18than December 31, 2017 with its recommendations to the General
19Assembly on how this plan should be developed and implemented.