{"id":890,"date":"2026-01-14T16:46:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T22:46:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/policy\/?post_type=library&p=890"},"modified":"2026-03-16T12:52:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:52:29","slug":"child-abuse-and-neglect","status":"publish","type":"library","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/policy\/library\/child-abuse-and-neglect\/","title":{"rendered":"Child Abuse and Neglect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Background<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (\u201c51ÁÔÆæ\u201d) strives to provide a safe and secure learning and working environment for everyone involved in university activities.  Children come into contact with 51ÁÔÆæ employees through various programs, camps, and events. On December 19, 2011, the Governor signed Executive Order #54 (PDF)<\/a> which requires that all University of Wisconsin System employees must report incidents of child abuse and neglect.  In addition, this policy extends that obligation to volunteers and contractors performing services for 51ÁÔÆæ. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Definitions<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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For the purposes of this policy: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. \u201cAbuse\u201d of a child includes any of the following: \n
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    1. Physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means.  \u201cPhysical injury\u201d includes but is not limited to lacerations, fractured bones, burns, internal injuries, severe or frequent bruising or great bodily harm. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Sexual intercourse or sexual contact with a child under the age of 16 or with a 16 or 17 year-old child without the child’s consent.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Sexual exploitation of a child.  Sexual exploitation of a child occurs when a person employs, uses, persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of recording or displaying the conduct or records or displays a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Sexual exploitation of a child also occurs when a person produces, performs in, profits from, promotes, imports into the state, reproduces, advertises, sells, distributes, or possesses with intent to sell or distribute, any recording of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Permitting, allowing or encouraging a child to violate the statute prohibiting prostitution. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity for purposes of sexual arousal or sexual gratification. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Exposing genitals or pubic area to a child or exposing a child\u2019s genitals or pubic area for purposes of sexual arousal or sexual gratification. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. Manufacturing methamphetamine with a child present, or in a child\u2019s home (including the premises of a child\u2019s home or in a motor vehicle located on the premises of a child\u2019s home), or under any other circumstances in which a reasonable person should have known that the manufacture would be seen, smelled, or heard by a child. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    8. Emotional damage for which the child\u2019s parent, guardian or legal custodian has neglected, refused or been unable for reasons other than poverty to obtain the necessary treatment or to take steps to ameliorate the symptoms.  \u201cEmotional damage\u201d is defined as harm to a child\u2019s psychological or intellectual functioning and is evidenced by one or more of the following characteristics exhibited to a severe degree:  anxiety, depression, withdrawal; outward aggressive behavior; or a substantial and observable change in behavior, emotional response or cognition that is not within the normal range for the child\u2019s age and stage of development. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    9. \u201cChild\u201d is a person who is less than 18 years of age. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    10. \u201cEmployee\u201d is any UW System (51ÁÔÆæ) employee, regardless of appointment type or method of compensation.  This includes: \n
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      1. Faculty, Academic Staff, University Staff <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Limited Term Employees (LTEs) and Classified Project Staff <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Teaching Assistants (TAs), Project Assistants (Pas), and student-hourly workers <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Post-doctoral trainees <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      5. Research Associates <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      6. Individuals without an appointment who are paid through a Payment to Individual Report (PIR) form <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      7. \u201cNeglect\u201d is failure, refusal or inability on the part of a caregiver, for reasons other than poverty, to provide necessary care, food, clothing, medical or dental care or shelter so as to seriously endanger the physical health of the child. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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        Policy<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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        I. Reporting Requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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        1. Executive Order #54 requires that each 51ÁÔÆæ employee report child abuse or neglect immediately if, in the course of employment, that 51ÁÔÆæ employee observes an incident or threat of child abuse or neglect, or learns of an incident or threat of child abuse or neglect, and the employee has reasonable cause to believe that child abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur.   <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. This policy hereby establishes the requirement that volunteers for 51ÁÔÆæ abide by the same reporting obligations as employees (as stated in Section I.A above<\/a>).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Collecting additional information that is readily available (such as talking to coworkers who also interact with that child) or verifying that the information learned meets the criteria for reporting may be appropriate, but any such action must be conducted promptly.  Individuals should not delay reporting in order to gather evidence; the agency to whom one reports the information will determine whether such an investigation is warranted.    <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. A report must be made personally or by telephone to the county department of social services or the county department of human services, or to law enforcement (county sheriff or the city, village, town, or university police department). For abuse occurring in Milwaukee, 51ÁÔÆæ employees may make reports to: \n
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          1. Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare <\/strong>
            Call: 414-220-SAFE (7233) <\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. 51ÁÔÆæ Police Department <\/strong>
            For emergencies, call: 414-229-9911 or x9911 
            For non-emergencies, call 414-229-4627 <\/li>\n\n\n\n
          3. City of Milwaukee Police Department <\/strong>
            For emergencies, call: 911 
            For non-emergencies, call: 414-933-4444  <\/li>\n\n\n\n
          4. Milwaukee County Sheriff\u2019s Department <\/strong>
            For non-emergencies, call: 414-226-7000 <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          5. Executive Order #54 does not specifically address whether an employee must report information learned about an adult who was the victim of abuse or neglect as a child.  Making such a report, however, may raise issues relating to state and federal law and professional codes of ethics.  Therefore, before making any report involving an adult who was the victim of childhood abuse or neglect, employees should contact the 51ÁÔÆæ Office of Legal Affairs at: 414-229-4278.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          6. If the reported abuse or neglect is connected to 51ÁÔÆæ (see examples below), then it must also be reported to a Dean, Director or Division Head or the Office of Equity and Diversity Services.\u00a0 (Any employee may request assistance from their supervisor in making this report.)\u00a0 The Dean, Director or Division Head must report the abuse or neglect to the 51ÁÔÆæ Police Department, if it involves potential criminal conduct, and the Office of Equity and Diversity Services, if it involves any potential sexual abuse or harassment.\u00a0 Deans\/Directors\/Division Heads are encouraged to discuss the allegation with the Office of Legal Affairs.\u00a0 Abuse or neglect is \u201cconnected to\u201d 51ÁÔÆæ when it involves:\n
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            1. An allegation against a 51ÁÔÆæ employee, student, agent, volunteer, or contractor, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            2. The suspected child abuse or neglect occurred in or at 51ÁÔÆæ facilities or on land, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            3. The suspected child abuse or neglect occurred during or in connection with a 51ÁÔÆæ-sponsored activity.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            4. A 51ÁÔÆæ employee who is a mandatory reporter by profession under Wis. Stat. \u00a7 48.981(2) (e.g., health practitioner, social worker, law enforcement officer, child care provider) must continue to comply with the state mandatory reporter law requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            5. 51ÁÔÆæ employees may share\u202finformation regarding suspected abuse or neglect only with appropriate individuals, such as the agencies to whom reports are to be made, appropriate University officials, and co-workers when one is promptly seeking additional information for a report.  Beyond appropriate disclosures, employees should treat the information as sensitive and confidential.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            6. Questions regarding the applicability of these requirements to a particular individual or situation should be directed to the Office of Legal Affairs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              II. Policy Implications and Consequences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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              1. No 51ÁÔÆæ employee making a report of child abuse or neglect in good faith may be discharged from employment, disciplined or otherwise discriminated against in regard to employment, or threatened with any such treatment, because that employee made a report in good faith. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
              2. Any 51ÁÔÆæ employee who fails to report suspected child abuse or neglect in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                III. Campus Responsibilities as a Result of Executive Order 54<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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                1. Criminal background checks will be performed pursuant to 51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s Criminal Background Check Policy (SAAP 07-04)<\/a>, and must be conducted on employees, volunteers, and contractors who have regular contact with children in the course of performing duties or services for 51ÁÔÆæ or in connection with a 51ÁÔÆæ-sponsored activity.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                2. 51ÁÔÆæ employees and volunteers will receive training or education on the subject of child abuse and neglect; this training or education may differ depending upon (1) the type and degree of contact the individual may have with children on campus or (2) other training or education regarding mandatory reporting an individual might receive due to their profession.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                3. 51ÁÔÆæ employees and volunteers will be informed through handbooks, institutional websites, or other appropriate means about: \n