The Harm of Mandated Reporting: A Better Way to Help Families
I have worked in child services, been a foster parent, and also faced homelessness in high school. I have seen how the child welfare system hurts families more than it helps them. I want to explain why calling child services is not the best way to help families and what we can do instead.
What Happens When You Call Child Services
Maria, a single mom working two jobs, often left her 8-year-old son, Javier, with a neighbor after school. When Javier’s teacher noticed he sometimes came to class hungry and in worn-out clothes, she reported it to child services, hoping they’d connect the family to help. But what followed wasn’t support—it was fear. Investigators showed up at Maria’s door, questioning her parenting and threatening to remove Javier if things didn’t ‘improve.’ Maria, already stretched thin, didn’t need judgment—she needed childcare, affordable groceries, and a living wage. Instead, the system treated her like a problem, not a parent trying her best. The stress of the investigation made it harder for her to keep up at work, and Javier, confused and scared, started acting out at school. What began as a call for help ended up pushing Maria and Javier further into crisis, all because the system was designed to punish, not uplift.
How Child Services Can Harm Families
Studies show that children do better when their parents get the help they need. When parents—especially moms—have support, their kids are healthier and happier. On the other hand, children who are involved in child services are more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system and even prison as adults. This happens more often to Black, Indigenous, and low-income families. This is a human issue, but we must also look at it as an economic issue. When we invest in resources up front it is not only the humane and right thing to do, it also saves money incarcerating and hospitalizing people down the road.
A Better Way: Helping Instead of Reporting
Instead of calling child services, we should focus on giving families the support they need. They need money, safe homes, healthcare, and community programs—not investigations. People who work with families should help connect them to resources instead of calling a system that makes life harder for them.
If you work with kids, ask yourself: Does this family need to be reported, or do they need support? If we really want to help children, we need to make sure families have what they need to stay together and be happy.
Conclusion
Child services doesn’t always keep families safe—it often makes things worse. Instead of punishing families, we need to support them with real help. Families should not be afraid of the systems that claim to help them. Let’s create a world where families get the support they need to stay together.
If you work with kids, be a helper, not just a reporter. If you are a parent struggling, know that you deserve respect, help, and kindness. We can all do our part to build a better system.
