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Lesson Six: (Continued)
To Whom Do You Report?
A report is first made by telephoning one of the local child protective agencies
and talking with them about the child’s situation. The report must be made to
a “child protective agency;” such as a county welfare or probation
department or a police or sheriff’s department. (P.C. 11165.9, P.C. 11166 [a]).
Exceptions are reports by commercial print and photographic print processors, which
are made to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
(P.C. 11166[e]).
Social services departments provide child welfare services in California. In Los
Angeles County, the Child Abuse Hotline number (sponsored by the Department of
Children and Family Services) is 1-800-540-4000.
Except for situations involving allegations of general neglect
*, child protective agencies are required
to cross-report to each other. “Cross-reporting,” means that the
different agencies inform each other of reports so that each agency can take
appropriate steps to respond.
* “General neglect” means the
negligent failure of a person to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter,
medical care or supervision for a child under that person’s care or
custody. Only the social services department handles general
neglect.
What Information Must I Include in the Telephone Call?
The mandated reporter must report the known or suspected incident of child
abuse to a child protective agency immediately or as soon as practically
possible by telephone. To report, a person calls the Los Angeles County Child
Abuse Hotline at 1-800-540-4000, which is free of charge. This hotline is run
by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family
Services (DCFS).
The following information must be provided at the time of
the call:
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Name of the reporter (which is confidential with
limited exceptions);
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Name of the child;
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Present location of the child;
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Nature and extent of the injury and;
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Any other information, including that which led the person to suspect child
abuse, requested by the child protective agency. (Pen.Code, 11167,
subd.[a].)
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It is recommended that the mandated reporter first secure a copy of the written
report form (Department of Justice Form DOJ SS 8572) and “pencil in”
as much information as possible. These details will be helpful in discussing
the case during the phone report.
If DCFS thinks that the child is in danger, an emergency response social worker
interviews the child and other adults who may know about the abuse. Follow-up
may occur within a few hours or as many as five days, depending on how serious
it sounds and how young the child is.
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