Is mandatory reporting necessary for social work?
Highlighting a social work model rooted in trust, collaboration, and safety
Rhoda Cohen, one of our social workers at The Children’s Law Center (CLC), recently showed us what it looks like to protect a child without defaulting to state intervention.
11-year-old Ryan came to meet with his attorney, Komal Khosla, on a late Friday afternoon three weeks ago. Ryan’s father had brought him to the office and was in the waiting room while Ryan told his attorney that his father, and his father’s family, beat him. He said he was scared to go home that night and didn’t want to leave our office. He told his lawyer he would run away if he had to go back there.
A Friday Afternoon
This was not the first time Ryan had met with his lawyer. He had spoken to her twice since his father had filed a case against Ryan’s mother, claiming that she had hit him and left marks. Both times, Ryan had expressed his wish to live with his mother and that he was not scared of her. But Ryan did not want his lawyer to say anything in court about what he wanted. Ryan was too scared of his father’s reaction if he knew that Ryan was telling his lawyer he wanted to live with his mother.
On Monday, Rhoda checked in with Ryan while our attorneys filed an order to show cause in family court asking for a change in custody. Within two weeks, our attorneys were able to negotiate a settlement allowing Ryan to move back in with his mother.
His voice mattered.
Social Work Without Mandated Reporting
Our social workers are covered by attorney client privilege, not mandated reporter rules. That means that our actions are driven by our clients’ wishes, not rules that can backfire and expose children to even more trauma. Ryan knew what he wanted: he didn’t want to be subject to abuse from his family or make things worse by having his father be removed from the house.
We need to reform our mandated reporting laws to reduce the impact of state intervention on children. They often discourage children from disclosing abuse or make them fear losing family members, rather than gaining support.
We also need to support social workers who work hand-in-hand with Attorneys for Children. We should uplift the unique role of social workers in legal advocacy—those who listen, protect, and help children navigate complex situations without further trauma.
This Social Work Month, we celebrate Rhoda and her colleagues for showing us how it’s done! Read more about CLC’s practice model and success stories.