Child Advocacy and Protection

As a child advocate, school nurses must report suspected abuse/neglect as required by law. When a child confides in you about sexual or physical abuse, find a private place to talk with the child, do not panic or show expressions, listen and try to get the facts, let the child tell the story and leave out your own assumptions, use the child's vocabulary, and reassure the child that it is not his/her fault. You should focus on reporting the abuse instead of investigating the situation.