Reports of abuse and neglect are plunging â and intensifying the debate about who must report it
âOur entire system is based on mandatory reporting. If you donât get this right, then the protective scheme falls apart,â the stateâs child advocate said.
By Matt Stout Globe Staff,Updated December 15, 2020, 9:15 a.m.
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Since the coronavirus first roared into Massachusetts â disrupting businesses, schools, and daily life â reports of potential abuse or neglect of children have dropped by nearly a third. Those required to flag suspected mistreatment to state officials
have filed thousands fewer allegations. Reports from school workers plummeted by 75 percent alone.