New resources available to identify signs of abuse in infants
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has launched a new educational resource to help parents and caregivers identify and prevent physical abuse in infants aged 6 months and younger. The new fact sheet and webpage focus on recognizing critical warning signs of physical abuse such as bruising, facial injuries, or signs of abusive head trauma, and emphasize the importance of seeking immediate medical attention.
Additional information and a social media toolkit can be found on the Identifying Signs of Physical Abuse in Babies webpage.
Mandated reporters
As a reminder, all staff in Minnesota’s licensed and license exempt child care programs are mandated reporters under state law and must follow requirements related to mandated reporting based on their license or certification type.
Under MN Statute 260E, professionals working with children must immediately report any suspected maltreatment to the appropriate agency. Mandated reporters in all monitored settings, including family child care, licensed centers, certified centers, legal nonlicensed care, cannot transfer the responsibility of reporting to someone else.
License holders, staff, substitutes, and helpers in all licensed child care settings must also complete required health and safety trainings. These include Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) training for anyone caring for infants and young children, as well as Pediatric CPR, Pediatric First Aid, mandated reporter training, and other program specific policy trainings.
Additional DCYF mandated reporter resources are available for all provider types, offering guidance on reporting responsibilities and access to self‑paced training through the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy.