The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape provided a grant from its Vision of Hope Fund to the Network of Victim Assistance of Bucks County in 2008-09 to develop, evaluate and pilot mandated reporter training in 10 Eastern, Pa. schools and social agencies.
 
NOVA—one of 51 sexual assault centers which are contracted by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape to provide sexual assault victim services and prevention programs—worked to increase the likelihood that mandated reporters would report suspected incidents of child abuse to child protective services or law enforcement including incidents of serious physical injury, serious mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, imminent risk and serious physical neglect.
 
Education and social service professionals were trained to recognize signs of abuse and to understand the laws and responsibilities that govern them.

 
Basis for Curriculum Development

Children often hesitate to report or disclose abuse for many reasons including, but not limited to, their fear of angering the offender, being told not to tell by the abuser, blaming themselves for the abuse or feeling guilty, embarrassed and ashamed. 
 
It is essential to shift the focus of prevention efforts toward the role and responsibility that adults play in the prevention, protection and intervention of child abuse.  In order to increase reporting and better protect children, adults who interact with children need to be educated about the signs and symptoms of child abuse and sexual abuse, and about the responsibility to report such suspected abuse. 
 
In order to increase reporting and better protect children, adults who interact with children need to be educated about the signs and symptoms of child abuse and sexual abuse, and about the responsibility to report such suspected abuse. The responsibility for child abuse prevention, protection and intervention is shared by all adults, and those who are legally charged with doing so must be informed to recognize warning signs and know how to respond when they suspect a child needs help.