Where you can get help & how to report suspected abuse.

If you feel that a child is in an emergency situation,
call local law enforcement immediately!!
For any citizen, *reasonable suspicion* is all that is needed
to contact authorities and file a report.
Both the reporting party and the child who is allegedly being abused must reside in the same state for the following reporting numbers to be valid. When the reporting party resides in a different state than the child, or for states not listed, please call
Childhelp/IOF Foresters NationalAbuse Hotline
1-800-4-A-CHILD.

Please select the state and hotline phone numbers from this list...

Who's duty is it to report suspected abuse or neglect?

Everybodys!

Morally it is the responsibility of everyone to report child abuse or neglect when ever
there are reasonable grounds to believe that a child may be in need of help or protection.

People whose work brings them into close contact with children
have a professional, and legal duty to report.
The following professions are included...

* All health care professionals -
including physicians, nurses, dentists,
pharmacists and psychologists
* Teachers and school principals
* Social workers and family counsellors
* Priests, rabbis and other members of the clergy
* Operators or employees of day nurseries
* Youth and recreation workers (but not volunteers)
* Police officers and coroners
* Solicitors
* Service providers and employees of service providers
* Any other person who performs professional or
official duties with respect to children

***Any professional who fails to report his or her suspicion of child
abuse or neglect is liable on conviction to a fine up to $1,000.***

To see the state of Illinois list of mandated reporters click here...

How much information should I have before calling in my suspicion?

The person responding to your call may ask you several questions to ensure that
enough information is available to enable the investigating team to make decisions
concerning whether or not abuse and/or neglect has occurred.
You might be asked to give your name, the names and address of the family
and child, your reasons for suspecting abuse, your relationship the alleged victim,
and any previous suspicions of injury to the child.

You need not know for certain that abuse or neglect has occurred in order to make a report.
You need only suspect that it has occured or that there is a risk for abuse or neglect.

You should not try to investigate the circumstances.
The responsibility for investigation rests with the
children's aid society and, in certain situations, the police.
Any investigation by persons other than a child protection worker
or a police officer may prejudice subsequent efforts to protect the child.

Any person that reports suspected child abuse is exempt from any civil liability,
unless the person making the report does so maliciously or without reasonable grounds.

You should not contact the parents under any circumstances.
That should be left to the child protection worker or police.
Contacting the parents may jeopardize the investigation if they are responsible,
in part or full - this could place the child at further risk.
Also allowing the child protection worker or police to contact the
parents insures that they receive accurate information about the
suspected abuse and information.

trust your instincts

Anominity

Anonymous reports can be made in all fifty states, but are greatly discouraged
because they impede the agency�s ability to gather all information needed or call
the reporter of the abuse as a crucial evidentiary witness if the case goes to trial.

All states have laws that protect the reporter of suspected abuse or neglect from
legal liability as long as the report was made *in good faith* and not maliciously.
Very few reports are deliberately false.

The name of the person reporting child abuse will not be revealed
to the person being investigated.
Your identity is confidential and can be shared only with your permission,
or by a court order or subpoena.

Knowing how, when, and what to report about child abuse and neglect
may make a life or death difference for a child.

Child Abuse Prevention Act
Helpful Links
Defining Abuse
7 steps to end abuse
Ten Alternatives To Lashing Out At Your Child

Sexual Abuse | Emotional Abuse | Physical Abuse | Child Neglect

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