The Impact of Organizational Environment on the Likelihood that Social Workers Will Report Child Maltreatment

ABSTRACT

This study examined the impact of organizational factors on the decision of social workers to report child maltreatment to Child Protective Services (CPS). Data were collected by a mail survey of a random sample of 520 members of a northeast chapter of the National Association of Social Workers who worked with families and children in an agency setting. The following agency variables, both individually and in combination, significantly influenced reporting: the presence of an expressed mandate to report; worker involvement in decision-making; and the interaction of an expressed mandate and negative sanctions for failing to report. Implications for practice and further research are proposed.

Key Words:

• Work environment and mandated reporters
• agency context and social work
• agency climate and reporting behavior