With summer break underway across Maui County, the Maui County Commission for Youth and Children is encouraging community members who work with children and families to complete a new statewide online training on recognizing and reporting possible child abuse and neglect.

According to the commission, reports of suspected child abuse and neglect decline when school is out because fewer trained adults regularly interact with and monitor the well-being of children.

“Because school providers are the primary source of mandated reports, summer is a critical time to strengthen our community’s reporting and support skills,” Chairperson Cayla Kutaka said in a news release.

The free training, developed by the Hawaii Department of Human Services, is available online 24 hours a day at mandatedreportertraining.com/hawaii.

Under Hawaii law, mandated reporters include health care providers, school personnel, social service and mental health professionals, law enforcement and court personnel, child care providers and staff members of youth-serving programs.

State law requires mandated reporters to report reasonable suspicions that a child has been harmed or may be at risk, even without proof. Failure to report can result in legal consequences.