National Child Abuse and Neglect Numbers
August 27, 2008 by Tyler Hartle · Comments Off
National Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Telephone Numbers and Website Information
Below are the toll-free numbers and websites for specific agencies designated to accept and investigate reports of suspected child abuse and neglect for each state in the United States.
Alabama
Local (toll): (334) 242-9500
Alabama Child Abuse Reporting Website
Alaska
Toll-Free: (800) 478-4444
Alaska Child Abuse Reporting Website
Arizona
Toll-Free: (888) SOS-CHILD (888-767-2445)
Arizona Child Abuse Reporting Website
Arkansas
Toll-Free: (800) 482-5964
Arkansas Child Abuse Reporting Website
California
Report Child Abuse in California
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Colorado
Local (toll): (303) 866-5932
Report Child Abuse in Colorado
Connecticut
TDD: (800) 624-5518
Toll-Free: (800) 842-2288
Report Child Abuse in Connecticut
Delaware
Toll-Free: (800) 292-9582
Report Child Abuse in Delaware
District of Columbia
Local (toll): (202) 671-SAFE (202-671-7233)
Report Child Abuse in the District of Columbia
Florida
Toll-Free: (800) 96-ABUSE (800-962-2873)
Report Child Abuse in Florida
Georgia
Report Child Abuse in Georgia
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Hawaii
Local (toll): (808) 832-5300
Report Child Abuse in Hawaii
Idaho
Toll-Free: (800) 926-2588
Report Child Abuse in Idaho
Illinois
Toll-Free: (800) 252-2873
Local (toll): (217) 524-2606
Report Child Abuse in Illinois
Indiana
Toll-Free: (800) 800-5556
Report Child Abuse in Indiana
Iowa
Toll-Free: (800) 362-2178
Report Child Abuse in Iowa
Kansas
Toll-Free: (800) 922-5330
Report Child Abuse in Kansas
Kentucky
Toll-Free: (800) 752-6200
Report Child Abuse in Kentucky
Louisiana
Report Child Abuse in Louisiana
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Maine
TTY: (800) 963-9490
Toll-Free: (800) 452-1999
Report Child Abuse in Maine
Maryland
Report Child Abuse in Maryland
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Massachusetts
Toll-Free: (800) 792-5200
Report Child Abuse in Massachusetts
Michigan
Report Child Abuse in Michigan
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Minnesota
Report Child Abuse in Minnesota
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Mississippi
Toll-Free: (800) 222-8000
Local (toll): (601) 359-4991
Report Child Abuse in Mississippi
Missouri
Toll-Free: (800) 392-3738
Local (toll): (573) 751-3448
Report Child Abuse in Missouri
Montana
Toll-Free: (866) 820-5437
Report Child Abuse in Montana
Nebraska
Toll-Free: (800) 652-1999
Report Child Abuse in Nebraska
Nevada
Toll-Free: (800) 992-5757
Report Child Abuse in Nevada
New Hampshire
Toll-Free: (800) 894-5533
Local (toll): (603) 271-6556
Report Child Abuse in New Hampshire
New Jersey
TDD: (800) 835-5510
TTY: (800) 835-5510
Toll-Free: (877) 652-2873
Report Child Abuse in New Jersey
New Mexico
Toll-Free: (800) 797-3260
Local (toll): (505) 841-6100
Report Child Abuse in New Mexico
New York
TDD: (800) 369-2437
Toll-Free: (800) 342-3720
Local (toll): (518) 474-8740
Report Child Abuse in New York
North Carolina
Report Child Abuse in North Carolina
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
North Dakota
Report Child Abuse in North Dakota
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Ohio
Report Child Abuse in Ohio
Contact the county Public Children Services Agency using the list above or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453for assistance.
Oklahoma
Toll-Free: (800) 522-3511
Report Child Abuse in Oklahoma
Oregon
Report Child Abuse in Oregon
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Pennsylvania
Toll-Free: (800) 932-0313
Report Child Abuse in Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Toll-Free: (800) 981-8333
Local (toll): (787) 749-1333
Spanish Information on Website: Report Child Abuse in Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
Toll-Free: (800) RI-CHILD (800-742-4453)
Report Child Abuse in Rhode Island
South Carolina
Local (toll): (803) 898-7318
Report Child Abuse in South Carolina
South Dakota
Report Child Abuse in South Dakota
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Tennessee
Toll-Free: (877) 237-0004
Report Child Abuse in Tennessee
Texas
Toll-Free: (800) 252-5400
Report Child Abuse in Texas
Utah
Toll-Free: (800) 678-9399
Report Child Abuse in Utah
Vermont
After hours: (800) 649-5285
Report Child Abuse in Vermont
Virginia
Toll-Free: (800) 552-7096
Local (toll): (804) 786-8536
Report Child Abuse in Virginia
Washington
TTY: (800) 624-6186
Toll-Free: (866) END-HARM (866-363-4276)
After hours: (800) 562-5624
Report Child Abuse in Washington
West Virginia
Toll-Free: (800) 352-6513
Report Child Abuse in West Virginia
Wisconsin
Report Child Abuse in Wisconsin
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
Wyoming
Report Child Abuse in Wyoming
Click on the website above for information on reporting or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453 for assistance.
All numbers and website information is current as of date posted.
Recognizing The Signs
August 19, 2008 by Tyler Hartle · Leave a Comment
Recognize the signs of child abuse
The effects of child abuse and neglect are not always easy to identify and people who abuse can go to great lengths to hide it. Many of the common signs of child abuse can be confused with normal, everyday happenings. Adults need to be aware that a change in a child’s behavior may be caused by child abuse.
Recognizing the signs in children
The following are some of the general indicators of child abuse and neglect that you may observe in children or young people. The presence of one or more of these factors does not by itself prove that child abuse is happening. However, it can alert you to the possibility of child abuse. The likelihood of child abuse is occurring may be higher when more indicators are present.
- A child or young person tells you that he or she is being abused or hurt
- You notice sudden or unexplained changes in mood or behavior of a child or young person
- You notice frequent or unexplained bruises or injuries on a child or young person
- You see a child or young person with low self-esteem
- You see a child or young person with poor hygiene
- You notice that a child or young person becomes withdrawn or unresponsive
- You notice a child or young person with a lot of exaggerated fears
- You notice that a child or young person seems to lack trust in familiar adults
- You notice that a child or young person has serious difficulties relating to peers and/or adults
- You see a child or young person who is always angry or aggressive
- You find out that a child or young person has difficulty sleeping and experiences nightmares
- You notice a child or young person experience a change in eating patterns
Recognize the signs in parents
The following are just some of the general indicators of child abuse and neglect that you may observe in the behavior of parents or care givers. The presence of one or more of these factors does not by itself prove that abuse is happening. However, it can alert you to the possibility of abuse. The possibility of abuse may be higher if more indicators are present.
- You notice that a parent seems unconcerned about the child’s welfare at home or school
- You notice that there is domestic violence between adults in a household
- You notice that a parent feels constantly stressed and tells you they have hurt his/her child
- You see that a parent seems secretive or tries to isolate the child from other children
- You notice that a parent constantly talks about the child in negative ways
- You notice that a parent frequently blames, belittles or insults the child
- You notice that a parent avoids talking about the child’s injuries or gives conflicting explanations for them
- You notice that a parent is suffering from depression or other serious mental illness that may be impacting on their ability to care for their children
- You notice that a parent is drinking alcohol excessively or abusing prescription medication and is not able to take care of his/her children properly
- You see or hear that a parent is using illegal drugs and is not able to take care of his/her children properly
Recognize the signs in yourself
As parents or others charged with rearing chidlren, we can relate to sometimes feeling tested to the limits of our parenting ability. Sometimes we can feel out of control. In other situations, we can have personal problems that stop us from caring for our children.
It is your responsibility to recognize when you need help before the harm happens.
If you feel you may hurt, or have hurt your child, it is important that you seek immediate assistance.
STOP what you are doing.
THINK about how you and your child are affected by what is happening.
DO something to change things.
GET SUPPORT to make the changes.
Seeking support and assistance can take courage. Taking this step, however, is critical for you and your child.
Seeking support and assistance reflects:
- your love for your child
- your ability to appreciate there is a problem
- your desire for things to be different for your family
- your commitment to working towards changing things for the better.
Speak to someone you trust and feel can help you.
Find a list of support services that may be able to assist you and your family. Keep trying until you find a service that can help you.
Things can change for the better for you and your family. It is up to you to take the next step.
