As a supervisor, when I am approached by a social worker here, I ask for the priors. What to Report Details help. Dawson recommends a teacher include details he or she observed. In a report of possible abuse, be sure to include details, such as the location and description of marks, as well as what the child said that led the teacher to notice the marks. Educating Teachers Dr. John Lutjemeier, professor and director of graduate studies in education at Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas, advises teachers to look for signs of stress, as well as for physical signs.
Some abuse is verbal and some is neglect.
In his experience, signs of child abuse are mainly behavioral. Children also can be verbally abusive to a teacher or other students, but some may act just the opposite and be very quiet and mild. If you suspect abuse, as a teacher you have no choice. According to Lutjemeier, teachers should report suspected abuse to the school counselor or to the principal who will report it to the authorities. At that point the teacher's role is to be sensitive to the needs of the child.