Field guide · Free CE

Free Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting CE for Nurses.

Pennsylvania requires 2 hours every renewal. New York, Illinois, and Kentucky tie their child-abuse training to licensure instead of to each cycle, so check which applies to you. Confirm your board approves a course before relying on it.

6 courses · Last reviewed July 23, 2026

Required CE in 4 jurisdictions

Jump to a state page for the full requirement, hours, and acceptable provider list.

New York Pennsylvania Illinois Kentucky

Certificate only

Showing 6 of 6 courses

Mandated Reporter Training: Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse (Illinois)
Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS)
Free online mandated-reporter training from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services on recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. Illinois nurses are mandated reporters and attest to completing this training at license renewal (325 ILCS 5/4).
Free (state-provided); free account required; print your certificate at the end of the course.
1 contact hourIllinois DCFS (state-provided mandated-reporter training)onlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateIL only
Child AbuseMandated Reporter
Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training
Iowa Health and Human Services
Iowa's official free mandatory child-abuse reporter training (course DS-169), the state-approved course that meets the Iowa Board of Nursing reporter-training requirement. A separate dependent-adult course (DS-168) is also free.
2 contact hoursIowa HHS (board-approved)onlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateIA only
Child Abuse
Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (Kentucky)
Kentucky Department for Public Health (Maternal & Child Health)
Free pediatric abusive head trauma course from the Kentucky Department for Public Health, a Kentucky Board of Nursing continuing education provider, awarding 1.6 nursing contact hours and hosted on TRAIN. Meets Kentucky's one-time pediatric abusive head trauma training requirement for nurses.
Free (offered at no charge); free TRAIN account required; the certificate must be claimed within 30 days of completing the course.
1.6 contact hoursKentucky Board of Nursing provider (KBN Providership #07-0038-12-2027-012)onlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateKY only
Pediatric Abusive Head TraumaChild Abuse
Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Free 2-hour state-sponsored training that satisfies New York's mandated-reporter child-abuse identification and reporting requirement for nurse licensure. Provided at no cost by NY OCFS.
2 contact hoursNYSED-approvedonlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateNY only
Child Abuse
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse (Act 31)
University of Pittsburgh / PA Child Welfare Resource Center
Free 3-hour child-abuse recognition and reporting course on the Pennsylvania Department of State's Act 31 approved-provider list, satisfying the Act 31 mandated-reporter training for nurse licensure.
3 contact hoursPA DOS Act 31 approvedonlineVerified Aug 2026CertificatePA only
Child Abuse
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
Upstate AHEC (with USC School of Law)
Free 1.0-contact-hour South Carolina AHEC course on recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect, a core mandated-reporter topic for SC nurses.
Free; requires pretest, 80% post-test, and evaluation for the certificate. Credit listed through June 30, 2027.
1 contact hourUpstate AHEC, accredited provider of NCPD (ANCC Commission on Accreditation)onlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateSC only
Child AbuseMandated Reporting

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Frequently asked questions

Does free Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting CE count toward my nursing license renewal?: Yes, when two things are true: the provider is accredited (for example, ANCC-accredited or on your state board's approved-provider list) and the content matches what your renewal requires. Free CE is not worth less than paid CE. Because acceptance rules vary by state, confirm the specifics with your state Board of Nursing before you rely on a course.
Which states require Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting CE?: Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting is a named CE requirement in 4 US jurisdictions: New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky. Even where it is not separately mandated, these hours generally count toward your total CE. Open your state page for the exact hours and accepted providers.
How do I know if a specific Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting course will count in my state?: Check that the provider is accredited or on your board's approved list, and that the course covers your state's required content. You can also paste any course into our free course checker to see whether it counts in your state, no account needed.
How many hours of Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting CE do I need?: It varies by state, and in some states by whether you hold prescriptive authority, so there is no single national number. Many states fold child abuse recognition & mandated reporting into a required-topic portion of your total CE rather than adding hours on top. Your state page lists the exact requirement.

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Frequently asked questions

Does free Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting CE count toward my nursing license renewal?

Yes, when two things are true: the provider is accredited (for example, ANCC-accredited or on your state board's approved-provider list) and the content matches what your renewal requires. Free CE is not worth less than paid CE. Because acceptance rules vary by state, confirm the specifics with your state Board of Nursing before you rely on a course.

Which states require Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting CE?

Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting is a named CE requirement in 4 US jurisdictions: New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kentucky. Even where it is not separately mandated, these hours generally count toward your total CE. Open your state page for the exact hours and accepted providers.

How do I know if a specific Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting course will count in my state?

Check that the provider is accredited or on your board's approved list, and that the course covers your state's required content. You can also paste any course into our free course checker to see whether it counts in your state, no account needed.

How many hours of Child Abuse Recognition & Mandated Reporting CE do I need?

It varies by state, and in some states by whether you hold prescriptive authority, so there is no single national number. Many states fold child abuse recognition & mandated reporting into a required-topic portion of your total CE rather than adding hours on top. Your state page lists the exact requirement.