How do I report child abuse?
What should be reported to Children’s Services?
What information is needed when making a report?
What happens when I report child abuse?
Who should report allegations of abuse or neglect to Children’s Services?
Where do I find training or presentations regarding Child Abuse and Reporting?
How do I report child abuse?
If you suspect that a child has been abused or neglected, call:
► 1-800-442-4918
► Outside Riverside area call: Child Help national Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-422-4453
► Download a Copy of The Suspected Child Abuse Report.
(Fillout and E-mail to the Mandated Reporter only after you have called)
What should be reported to Children’s Services?
Child abuse and neglect comes in many forms and can be an acto or an omission that harms a child.
The abuse categories outlined in Penal Code Section 11165 are Sexual Abuse, Neglect (Severe Neglect and General Neglect), Physical Abuse (Willful harming or endangering of a child and unlawful corporal punishment or injury), Emotional Abuse, Abuse or Neglect in out of home care, and Maternal Substance Abuse. Also included in the Neglect Category is the risk to children when Domestic Violence is occurring in the home and the children are found to be at risk.
Physical abuse is defined as non-accidental physical trauma or injury by a parent or caretaker on a child. It also includes a parent or a caregiver's failure to protect a child from another person who perpetrated physical abuse on a child. In its most severe form, physical abuse is likely to cause great bodily harm or death.
Sexual Abuse includes penetration or external touching of a child's intimate parts, oral sex with a child, indecent exposure or any other sexual act performed in a child's presence for sexual gratification, sexual use of a child for prostitution, and the manufacturing of child pornography. Child sexual abuse is also the willful failure of the parent or the child's caretaker to make a reasonable effort to stop child sexual abuse by another person.
Emotional Abuse includes verbal assaults, ignoring and indifference or constant family conflict.
Neglect can be any sitiuation where a child is not properly cared for and/or is exposed to hazardous conditions (drugs, domestic violence, other safety issues).
What Information is needed when making a report?
It is helpful if you have the information listed below but not required to make a suspected child abuse report:
Names and ages/date of birth for the family
Address for the child and/or family
What prompted the call and how did you obtain the information
Date(s) and description(s) of the injuries or dangers
Identities of perpetrator(s) and their relationship(s) to the victim
Witnesses to the incident(s) and how they may be reached
Details of any physical evidence available
Alleged perpetrator’s current access to the child
Present condition of the child (alone, in need of medical attention)
Any statements from the child
What happens when I report child abuse?
When a person calls the Child Abuse Hotline regarding possible abuse or neglect of a child, a Risk and Safety assessment is completed and a decision is made about when to respond to the report. The response time can be within 24 hours, within 10 days or not at all. If there is not a legally defined abuse allegation, the report will be taken and recorded but there will not be an in-person response.
When an in-person response is done, there are several possible outcomes for the family and the child. The investigation can conclude that there is no evidence of abuse or neglect and the case is closed with no further action. The conclusion could be that there is no abuse or neglect but the family can be referred for services that are to benefit them (parenting, housing, financial aid). The investigation could find that there is abuse or neglect issues but those can be resovled by providing Family Maintenance Services which allows the children to stay in the home as the department works with the faimly and other service orgaizations to help the family.
The final conclusion is the finding that the child is not safe in his/her own home and they are removed from the care of the parent or caretaker and court proceedings are initiated. The court involvement will continue until such time that the children are reunified with the parent after successful completion of a service plan or the child is not reunified and the child has another permanent plan established for him/her.
Who should report allegations of abuse or neglect to Children’s Services?
The Department of Children’s Services encourages everyone to report suspected child abuse and neglect. Some professions must report suspected child abuse and neglect by virtue of their positions. Mandated reporters are those individuals who in the course of their work come in contact with families and children.
The following professionals are Mandated reporters (Penal Code Section 11165.7) and as such are required to report suspected/alleged child abuse and neglect to a child protective agency (police or CPS) and file a mandated reporter form within 48 hours of submitting an oral report.
· Any one whose duties require direct contact and supervision of children.
· Medical, Dental and Hospital Personnel. including: physicians, surgeons, dentists, residents, interns, podiatrists, chiropractors, licensed nurses, dental hygienists, optometrists, medical examiners, coroners, emergency medical technicians I & II, paramedics,
· Mental health professionals and counselors (including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed and unlicensed marriage, family and child counselors and trainees, psychological assistants.)
· School officials and educators (including public, classified or private: teachers, instructional aides, teacher’s assistants, administrative officers, supervisors of child welfare and attendance, administrators or employees of a county office of education or the California Department of Education, school police.)
· Social service personnel (including: public assistance workers, social workers, clinical social workers, child visitation monitors, county welfare employees.)
· Clergy (including priests, ministers, rabbis, religious practitioners, or similarly functionary of a church, temple or recognized denomination or organization.)
· Day camp or childccare providers (including public or private: administrators, licensees & employees of any youth center, youth recreational program, youth organization, licensed community care or child day care facility.)
· Commercial film and photographic print processors (including those that develop exposed negatives, slides, or prints.)
· Law enforcement personnel (including: any employee of any police department, county sheriff’s department, and county probation department. This includes probation officers, parole officers, police officers, peace officers & custodial officers.
Where do I find training or presentations regarding Child Abuse and Reporting?
For training or presentations regarding Child Abuse and Mandated Reporting contact: PCARC at 951-686-5581.
Mandated reporters can also access training online: Online Mandated Reporting Training.
This project is funded by the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention and carried out by the California Institution on Human Services, Sonoma State University.