Child Abuse Information by State

Information on child abuse doesn't have to be difficult to find if you know where to look. Federal legislation provides guidance to states, and states must make their own criminal and civil statutes within the confines of federal law. Although child abuse is a nationwide problem, child abuse laws vary from state to state. Therefore, it is important to turn first to your own state laws and resources when educating yourself on the subject. Here you will find a wide variety of information regarding child abuse including: child abuse hotlines, child protective services, and reporting guides organized by state.

National

• Child Welfare Information Gateway (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
• MedlinePlus: Child Abuse (National Library of Medicine)
• Child Abuse Manual [PDF] (U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center)

Alabama

• Alabama Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board
• Child Abuse FAQs (Alabama Department of Human Resources)

Alaska

• Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect in Alaska (State of Alaska - Office of Children's Services)

Arizona

• Report Child Abuse or Neglect (Arizona Department of Child Safety)
• Regional Child Abuse Prevention Councils (Arizona Department of Child Safety)
• Childhood Neglect (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

Arkansas

• Child Protective Services: How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect (Arkansas Department of Human Services)

California

• Abuse & Neglect: Information for Parents (Judicial Council of California)
• Juvenile Dependency Forms

Colorado

• Tennyson Center for Children
• Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline Reporting System (Colorado Department of Human Services)

Connecticut

• Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Q&A (Department of Children and Families)

Delaware

• The Professionals' Guide to Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (DSCYF brochure) [PDF]
• Child Abuse/Neglect Mandatory Reporting Form (Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families)

District of Columbia

• Report Child Abuse and Neglect (DC Child and Family Services Agency)
• Signs of Child Abuse and Neglect (DC Child and Family Services Agency)
• Reporting Abuse - Information & Important Numbers (Center for Child Protection and Family Support)

Florida

• Florida Abuse Program (Department of Children & Families)
• Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect (Florida network of Children's Advocacy Centers)
• A Parent's Guide to Juvenile Dependency Court

Georgia

• Child Abuse & Neglect (Georgia Division of Family and Children Services)
• How To Report Child Abuse or Neglect (Department of Family and Children Services)

Hawaii

• Hawai'i Children's Justice Centers (Hawai'i State Judiciary)

Idaho

• Child Protection (Idaho Supreme Court)

Illinois

• Children & Family Services Hotlines (Illinois Department of Children & Family Services)
• Child Protection (Illinois Department of Children & Family Services)

Indiana

• Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect Resources (Indiana Family and Social Services Administration)
• Do I have to report suspected child abuse? (Indiana Legal Services)
• Child Abuse Hotline (Indiana Department of Child Services)

Iowa

• Child Abuse: Guide for Mandatory Reporters [PDF] (Iowa DHS)

Kansas

• Child Abuse Report Guide [PDF] (Kansas DCF)

Kentucky

• Juvenile Dependency, Neglect and Abuse Petition [PDF] (Kentucky Court of Justice)
• Child Protection Branch (Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family services)

Louisiana

• Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect FAQ (Louisiana Department of Social Services)
• Child Protection Investigation (Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services)

Maine

• Child Protection (MN Child and Family Services)
• How to Report Child Abuse/Neglect (Maine Child and Family Services)

Maryland

• Petition For Protection From Domestic Violence/Child Abuse/Vulnerable Adult Abuse(District Court of Maryland)
• Dictionary (for Use With Petition For Protection from Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Vulnerable Adult Abuse) [PDF]

Massachusetts

• Warning Signs of Child Abuse & Neglect (Executive Office of Health and Human Services)
• Report Child Abuse or Neglect (Executive Office of Health and Human Services)

Michigan

• A Model Child Abuse Protocol - DHS Pub-794 [PDF] (Michigan Department of Human Services)
• Childhelp Michigan

Minnesota

• Report Abuse (Minnesota Department of Human Services)
• What is Considered Child Abuse and Neglect in Minnesota? (Stearns County, Minn)

Mississippi

• Report Child Abuse/Neglect (Division of Family and Children Services)
• Types of Child Abuse (Mississippi State Department of Health)

Missouri

• Child Abuse and Neglect (University of Missouri Extension)
• Child Abuse and Neglect Investigation (Missouri Department of Social Services)

Montana

• Child & Family Services Division (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services)

Nebraska

• Child Welfare, Juvenile & Adult Protective Services (Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services)
• Child Abuse & Neglect (Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services)

Nevada

• Child Protective Services (Clark County Dept. of Family Services)
• Child Abuse Hotline (Clark County Dept. of Family Services)

New Hampshire

• Child Protection Services (NH Department of Health & Human Services)

New Jersey

• How and When to Report Child Abuse/Neglect (NJ Department of Children and Families)
• New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services

New Mexico

• Definitions of Abuse & Neglect
• Reporting Child Abuse New Mexico Youth and Families Department

New York

• Child Protective Forms (New York State Unified Court System)
• Prevent Child Abuse New York
• Shaken Baby Syndrome (New York Department of Health)

North Carolina

• Child Protective Services

North Dakota

• North Dakota Child Protection Program (North Dakota Department of Human Services)
• Prevent Child Abuse (ND Social Services)

Ohio

• Protective Services (fact sheet) [PDF] (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services)
• What to do if a Child Reports Abuse or Neglect [PDF] (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services)
• You Can Help Prevent Child Abuse [PDF] (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services)
• Child Protective Services (Department of Job and Family Services)

Oklahoma

• Child Protective Services Unit (Oklahoma Department of Human Services)

Oregon

• Child Abuse and Neglect (Oregon department of Human Services)
• Child Abuse & Neglect Risk Factor Checklist [PDF]
• What You Can Do About Child Abuse [PDF]

Pennsylvania

• Child Welfare Portal (PA Child Welfare Information Solution)
• Abuse & Neglect Definition (PA Family Support Alliance)

Rhode Island

• Child Abuse Hotline Number (Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families)
• Reporting Child Abuse and/or Neglect (Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families)
• Child Welfare in Rhode Island (Rhode Island Kids Count)

South Carolina

• Child Protective Services (South Carolina Department of Social Services)
• Need to report abuse or neglect? (South Carolina Department of Social Services)

South Dakota

• Report Abuse and Neglect (South Dakota Child Protection Services)
• Child Abuse and Neglect Mandatory Reporting (South Dakota Child Protection Services)

Tennessee

• Tennessee Department of Children's Services (Tennessee State Government)
• Child Abuse Reporting (Tennessee Department of Children's Services)
• Preventing Sexual Abuse of Children [PDF] (University of Tennessee Extension)

Texas

• Report Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services)
• Texas Child Protective Services (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services)

Utah

• Prevent Child Abuse Utah (Prevent Child Abuse Utah)
• Child Protective Services (Division of Child and Family Services)

Vermont

• Reporting Child Abuse (Vermont Department for Children and Families)
• How to Report Suspected Child Abuse & Neglect [PDF]

Virginia

• Child Abuse & Foster Care Prevention (Virginia Department of Social Services)

Washington

• What is Child Abuse and Neglect? (Washington Department of Social and Health Services)

West Virginia

• Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources)

Wisconsin

• Report Child Abuse and Neglect (Wisconsin Department of Children and Families)
• Child Abuse, Neglect & Abandonment (Wisconsin State Law Library)

Wyoming

• Reporting Abuse/Neglect (Wyoming Department of Family Services)
• Wyoming Division of Victim Services

Get More State-Specific Child Abuse Information by Talking to an Attorney

Child abuse is a tragic epidemic that can scar a child for the rest of his or her life. While only the abuser is responsible for the abuse, what allows it to continue is inaction by others who may see the warning signs. Don't take a chance with a child's life and future. While law enforcement can provide immediate assistance, it's best to talk to an experienced family law attorney who can help you come up with a long-term solution.