Let’s Keep Kids Safe, Together
Help End Child Abuse.
Anyone can report concerns about the welfare or safety of a child, and reports may be made on a 24-hour basis.
If You Suspect Child Abuse
Reports may be made directly to our agency 24/7 at 570-326-7895 or toll-free 1-800-525-7938.
Reports may also be made anonymously (if you are not a mandated reporter) to ChildLine, the PA Abuse and Neglect Registry, at 1-800-932-0313 and http://keepkidssafe.pa.gov.
PLEASE CALL IMMEDIATELY IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS FOR THE SAFETY OF A CHILD OR IF YOUR FAMILY IS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.
What Is Child Abuse
Pennsylvania defines child abuse as involving a child under the age of 18 who is the victim of an act or failure to act by a perpetrator causing serious non-accidental bodily injury, mental injury, serious physical neglect, sexual abuse, or exploitation and causes impairment or endangers the child’s development, functioning, and well-being. A perpetrator is defined as a parent, the parent’s current or former spouse, the parent’s current or former paramour, a person aged 14 years or older who is responsible for the child’s welfare, an person aged 14 years or older who resides in the same home as the child, a person who aged 18 years or older who does not reside in the home with the child but is related to the child within the third degree.
Categories of child abuse include serious physical injury, serious mental injury, sexual abuse, serious physical abuse, and imminent risk.
Child abuse investigations must be completed within 60 days, with a final status being determined. Status outcomes are based on evidence to support the validity of the report. These status outcomes include the report being unfounded, indicated, or founded.
How To Report Child Abuse Anonymously
ChildLine is a statewide child protective services program designed to accept child abuse referrals and general child well-being concerns, and transmit the information quickly to the appropriate investigating agency. ChildLine is responsible for receiving verbal and electronic referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The toll-free hotline, 1-800-932-0313, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to receive reports of suspected child abuse.
Trained specialists are available 24/7 to receive referrals of suspected child abuse and general child well-being concerns. Mandated reporters are certain adults, who are legally required to report suspected child abuse if they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of child abuse. The law requires that the mandated reporter identify themselves and where they can be reached. In addition to having documentation that the report was made, this information is also helpful so that if clarification on the situation or additional information is needed, the children and youth caseworker can contact the mandated reporter.
Anyone can make a report to ChildLine, and if you are not a mandated reporter, calls made to ChildLine are anonymous. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) encourages all Pennsylvanians to learn more about the signs of potential abuse or neglect and make a report to ChildLine if they begin to suspect abuse or neglect. Reporters do not have to prove abuse and neglect, and reporting to ChildLine allows trained child welfare and law enforcement professionals to properly investigate cases of suspected abuse.
When making a report of suspected child abuse or general child well-being concerns, it is important to provide as much information as possible. The below list will give you a general idea of what information our trained specialists will ask you for:
Name and physical description of the child
Age or approximate age range of the child
Name, home address, and telephone number of legal guardian or parent of the child
Name or physical description of suspected child abuse perpetrator
Home address and telephone number of suspected child abuse perpetrator
Suspected perpetrator’s relationship to the child
Description of the suspected injury to the child
Where the incident took place
Any concern for the child's immediate safety
Your relationship to the child
Your contact information, although you may report anonymously if you are a permissive reporter
If You Are a Mandatory Reporter
Mandated reporters are required to make an immediate and direct report of suspected child abuse to ChildLine if they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of child abuse.
Mandated reporters must report suspected abuse as soon as possible by telephone at 1-800-932-0313 or electronically through the Child Welfare Portal at www.compass.state.pa.us.