Maybe it varies from state to state, but I don’t think complete anonymity is allowed here in CT. The identity of the person making the report can be kept from the family, but not from CPS because if they are suspected of knowingly making a false report, they can be prosecuted. From the CT CPS website:
Q. Will my report be Confidential?
A. Mandated reporters are required to give their name when they make a report to DCF, however, reporters may request anonymity to protect their privacy. This means that DCF would not disclose their name or identity unless mandated to do so by law (Connecticut General Statutes, Sections 17a-28 and 17a-101). Unless a reporter gives written consent, his or her name will not be disclosed except to:
* a DCF employee
* a law enforcement officer
* an appropriate state’s attorney
* an appropriate assistant attorney general
* a judge and all necessary parties in a court proceeding
* a state child care licensing agency, executive director of any institution, school or facility or superintendent of schools
If DCF suspects or knows that the reporter knowingly makes a false report, his or her identity shall be disclosed to the appropriate law enforcement agency and the person may be subject to the penalty described in the next section.
The above seems to only refer to mandated reporters (people who work with kids and are required by law to report suspected abuse). I don’t know if it also applies to someone who isn’t considered a mandatory reporter. If you’re having trouble with this, you should call CPS and ask them specifically.
I absolutely believe that anyone who makes a false report should be prosecuted. The trouble would be proving that the person knowingly made a false report. And yes, your child can be interviewed without your knowledge or consent, but I think there are limitations on that. For example, if the school reports suspected abuse, the CPS social worker can go to the school and talk to your child before anyone contacts you. However, they have to have your permission to come into your home, talk to your other children, or even contact your doctors, dentist, extended family, or anyone else. They will do their investigation with or without your cooperation, but you do have a say in how much access you give them. I don’t know if a social worker would make it clearly known upfront what you can and can’t say no to, so it’s best to inform yourself before making any decisions.
I used to work in daycare and was considered a mandatory reporter. Once a year we had a mandatory meeting to go over all of this, but luckily I never had cause to make a report. I did once have CPS visit my house after a comment one of my kids made at school. He was in kindergarten and the staff member who reported it didn’t know us well (right at the start of the school year). It was a horrible experience, even though the social worker told me right from the start he didn’t think there was anything to investigate. You can’t help worrying and obsessing and feeling completely embarrassed. The teacher, school nurse, and principal all met with the social worker and made it very clear they knew our family well (my oldest was also a student there) and had no concerns at all or had seen anything that would lead them to suspect abuse or neglect.
It all turned out fine, of course, even though we refused to let our other children be interviewed or give the social worker contact information for our extended family. We were sort of cooperative, but apparently it was enough because the social worker told me the case would be closed before he even gave the report to his supervisor. Still, it was such an emotionally terrible thing to go through. :( I don’t blame the staff member who made the report because, as I well know from my own time working with children, she was only doing her job. At the same time, I firmly believe that anyone who would do such a thing to a family on purpose just to be mean or cause trouble should go to jail.
It’s been more than two years since that incident. My husband and I thought at some point we’d look back on it and laugh, but that hasn’t happened yet. For a long time I was paranoid about what my kids might say at school that could be misinterpreted, and whenever they had a bruise or scrape I’d ask them a hundred times how it happened and pray to God they didn’t decide to make up their own stories at school. The paranoia has gone down quite a bit, but still inwardly cringe whenever I see the staff member who made the report (she actually works in my youngest son’s class now! argh!). She’s very, very nice to me. :P
Just read your comment above: When my son was interviewed, the social worker basically went into the classroom, struck up a conversation, and spent a few minutes observing him. I guess he also went to my daughter’s class and observed her for a while but didn’t speak to her. The kids didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it in front of my son, who had just turned 5. It wasn’t his fault at all, just a misunderstanding. I didn’t want to scare the kids, worry them, or make my son feel responsible for something he had no way of understanding. If the kids had been older, we would have had no choice but to address it with them, and I am really glad we didn’t have to deal with that aspect of it. I was actually very angry, and so was my husband. I’m glad the social worker was actually a very good guy. If he’d been a jerk or had a different attitude, I would have had a much harder time biting back comments like, “Why aren’t you out hunting down the REAL child abusers!?” I don’t think that would have gone over very well.
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