Mandatory Reporter of Child Abuse Training

Required of all Illinois State University Teacher Education candidates* as a Gateway I: Admission to Professional Studies beginning January 1, 2012.

All student teachers and pre-student teachers are required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Child Abuse Hotline. This means that they are considered "Mandated Reporters." All teacher education candidates must complete an online training program offered by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to help them understand their critical role in protecting children by recognizing and reporting child abuse. This is to be done before a teacher candidate begins the first clinical experience.

The training includes:

1. A pre-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions)
2. 60-90 minutes of self-paced interactive training
3. A post-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions)
4. A Certificate of Completion (which must be printed at time of completion).

Please go to the DCFS website and complete "Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters."

Upon completion of the training be sure to print the "Certificate of Completion" and submit this along with the signed "Acknowledgement of mandated Reporter Status" to the Teacher Education Center, 56 DeGarmo Hall, as evidence of meeting this requirement. Be sure that your UID and Major is written on the certificate.

*Teacher candidates that have already met all requirements for Gateway I: Admission to Professional Studies before the January 1, 2012, will have the requirement waived in Gateway I. Some teacher education programs may still ask all teacher candidates in their program to complete this requirement even if it is not required for Gateway I. This is in the best interest of the teacher candidates since they will be considered mandatory reporters while engaged in clinical practice.