Is it appropriate for teachers to view a child’s body areas that are covered by clothing when there is suspicion of abuse?
When there is suspicion of abuse based upon the indicators described above (e.g., a child’s report of inflicted injury or teacher observation of questionable injuries), a cursory, non-invasive observation of the reported injured areas may be appropriate, especially if the injury is located on appendages or non-private body parts. When observing injuries, the child’s need for privacy should be respected. The child’s consent should be obtained in a non-coercive manner. A child’s refusal to show injured areas should be respected. When the injuries are located in private body areas, the child should be referred to the school nurse. Children should not be needlessly subjected to physical inspections. There must be sufficient cause to suspect that viewing the child’s body would reveal evidence of injury.
