Anonymous reporting takes toll on foster parents, youth
Pat O’Brien and Sarah Gerstenzang
June 5, 2021
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Each year, New York State receives thousands of reports of suspected child abuse from callers who do not provide their names or contact information. Each year, child protective services launch investigations of families many of whom are families of color in response to these anonymous reports. And each year, as a result of these anonymous reports, thousands of families’ lives are subjected to government scrutiny with the frightening prospect that they could lose custody of their children.
Many, if not most, anonymous reports are driven by spite and malice, and a great proportion of them prove to be completely unfounded. The conclusion that abuse has not occurred is reached only after a family’s life has been significantly disrupted and their children traumatized as they are subjected to questioning and frequently, physical examinations and mental