ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mandatory reporting in the United States

Okay kiddo, have you ever heard of mandatory reporting? It's when adults have to tell someone if they know about a bad thing happening to a kid. It's like when you see somebody fall and get hurt, you go tell a grown-up, right? It's the same thing, but for things that are more serious.

In the United States, there are laws that say certain people have to report bad things happening to kids. These people are usually teachers, doctors, and other adults who work with kids. They have to tell the police or child protective services if they hear about a kid being hurt, abused, or in danger.

Now, you might be wondering why they have to do this. Well, it's because kids need grown-ups to protect them and keep them safe. If a grown-up knows about something bad happening to a kid and doesn't tell anyone, then that kid might not get the help they need.

Sometimes, kids might not tell anyone what's happening to them because they're scared, or they don't know who to tell. That's why mandatory reporting is important. The grown-ups who have to report things are trained to know how to keep kids safe and get them help.

So, in short, mandatory reporting is a law in the United States that says certain adults have to tell the police or child protective services if they know about bad things happening to kids. It's all about keeping kids safe and making sure they get the help they need.