Protect yourselves from ignorant Mandated reporters and DCFS

[mongolianspot]

I'm so sorry you went through this! I'm wondering if the no-apology thing has to do with liability? Like if they say they are sorry they are admitting wrong-doing? Not to excuse their behavior, but I'm wondering if it came down the pipe from the school system's legal dept that they aren't allowed to apologize (or if they are just heartless jerks?)

Initially, I thought about that but there is virtually no legal recourse for parents in this case to fight this. We asked around. We would have to prove that DCFS was called with malicious intent. The whole "mandate" gives blanket protection to the reporters. The language in the law is "reasonable suspicion".

I think they are just jerks. I talked directly with the assistant superintendent and she was far more sympathetic.

One of our friends told us that it happened to her at her son's day care. In that case as well, they did not apologize her. Most reasonable people would feel terrible about the mistake and apologize but apparently that's not the case. She said there were in the Chicago area where it's quite diverse.

We are just collateral damage while lawmakers, DCFS and reporters take cover under the mandate.

One of our friend just recently became a nurse and she said mongolian spots were covered in every class she was in. I'm just trying to get the word out to parents out there to not assume. Several friends also told us their kids have mongolian spots and never thought it would be a problem. They just assumed people would ask them if they didn't know what it was.

[gatorsmom]

How horrible! I have to admit, I'd never heard of them either and just googled them.

I wonder if it would reasonable for pediatricians to recommend that parents of children with mongolian spots warn teachers ahead of time what these spots are? Maybe even have the doctor sign off on a photo of the child's back showing what the spots look like?

Not that it is the teacher's business, but if she has the power to call CPS, then I'd want her to know what those are ahead of time, kwim?

[mongolianspot]

How horrible! I have to admit, I'd never heard of them either and just googled them.

I wonder if it would reasonable for pediatricians to recommend that parents of children with mongolian spots warn teachers ahead of time what these spots are? Maybe even have the doctor sign off on a photo of the child's back showing what the spots look like?

Not that it is the teacher's business, but if she has the power to call CPS, then I'd want her to know what those are ahead of time, kwim?

I will be writing to American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians to remind or make request to it's members to note birthmarks (mongolian spots ) on school/state requested medical forms as well as inform their clients about possibility of people, especiallyl mandated reporters, calling DCFS/CPS.

[Gracemom]

I was a social worker and we were educated about what mongolian spots were. I had no idea since I am caucasian. This should definitely be mentioned in the training of anyone who is a mandated reporter.

[MamaMolly]

Hey, just so you know, some good came from your posts. I saw my first mongolian spots today. A new family moved nearby recently and our girls were doing the group potty thing. I saw the spot on the base of her spine and thought Oh, that's what they look like.

Thanks for the education!

[longtallsally05]

Also the nurse saw her as well. My daughter has been seen my several nurses and doctors over her short life but none of them ever raised an issue with the spot because they knew what it was right away.

WTH kind of nursing school did she attend? We learned about mongolian spots during our OB rotation, and (gasp) our textbooks actually had photos of them! Geez, how ignorant. The nurse should have known what they were (hello, she works with pediatric patients!) and called off the dogs before DCFS was called. Sorry that happened to you. Not all nurses are like that, I promise!

[o_mom]

I think a lot of people do not know what they are. However, I think this should be part of staff training for all mandated reporters. There's still a risk someone would report a parent, but if *mandated* reporters were at least more knowledgeable, that would help.

This should definitely be mentioned in the training of anyone who is a mandated reporter.

This would help in some cases, but in my state everyone is a mandated reporter, not just certain professions.

I have friends that adopted from Asia and as part of their post-placement services they were advised to proactively inform caregivers and have pictures of their child's mongolian spots added to the medical records for this reason.

[C99]

Initially, I thought about that but there is virtually no legal recourse for parents in this case to fight this. We asked around. We would have to prove that DCFS was called with malicious intent. The whole "mandate" gives blanket protection to the reporters. The language in the law is "reasonable suspicion".

I think they are just jerks. I talked directly with the assistant superintendent and she was far more sympathetic.

Will you pull your daughter out of that program? I am sorry that happened to you. I didn't know what mongolian spots are either.

[mongolianspot]

Hey, just so you know, some good came from your posts. I saw my first mongolian spots today. A new family moved nearby recently and our girls were doing the group potty thing. I saw the spot on the base of her spine and thought Oh, that's what they look like.

Thanks for the education!

Thanks Molly! I'm trying to get a word out about Mongolian spots. I found another case of false reporting over mongolian spots while talking to one of my coworkers. And guesss what? They also didn't get an apology.

I'm going to the school board meeting today. If everyone reading this thread can talk to their friends and family regarding this, I would appreciate it.

[mongolianspot]

Will you pull your daughter out of that program? I am sorry that happened to you. I didn't know what mongolian spots are either.

Unfortunately, we had to pull her out of the program. It's hard for us to send her back to the same school with the same teacher and principal after how they treated us. If they treated us more humanely after they realized their mistake, things might have been different.

We are in the process of looking for another program.