FAQ

A mandated reporter is a person who is required by their state to report concerns of child abuse or neglect.

Most mandated reporters are identified by their professions and may include school personnel, law enforcement, medical workers, and more. Find out if you’re required to report.

Every state has mandated reporting requirements, and, as a result, each state has reporting standards. Find your state’s training and requirements here.

Under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, (CAPTA), child abuse and neglect is, at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation (including sexual abuse as determined under section 111), or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.

In 2018, the most recent reporting year, there were approximately 678,000 victims of child abuse and neglect in the U.S. This equates to a national rate of 9.2 victims per 1,000 children in the population.

According to the Child Maltreatment 2017 report, an estimated 1,720 children died as a result of abuse or neglect that year. That’s approximately 5 children every day who died as a result of child abuse or neglect.

Signs, symptoms, and types of child abuse or neglect can vary. You can find many of the common signs of abuse or neglect in this factsheet from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Child Welfare Information Gateway.

All states have a system to receive and respond to reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. If you suspect a child is being harmed, or has been harmed, you should report your concerns to the appropriate authorities, such as child protective services, in the state where the maltreatment is occurring. Most states have a toll-free number or you can contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline. Childhelp can be reached 7 days a week, 24-hours a day, at its toll-free number: 1.800.4-A-CHILD (1.800.422.4453).

Each state is responsible for providing its own definitions of child abuse and neglect. Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, provides links to each state's definitions of child abuse and neglect.

Many states accept anonymous reports of alleged child abuse and neglect. It is important to note, however, that all states are required to preserve the confidentiality of all child maltreatment reports, except in certain limited circumstances. Confidentiality refers to protecting the information from public view, including protecting the identity of the reporter from the person suspected of abuse or neglect.