Anyone has the power to stop child abuse. Trust your instincts. If you are not working in this field, you are not expected to be an expert. There are experts that determine if child abuse is happening, and more importantly, how to help the child and family. Your role is to help those experts be alerted to a possible risk. When deciding to report, don’t wonder, “what if I’m wrong?” instead think, “what if I am right?”
First responders will take reports without all of the following information, however, the more information the better. You may be asked for information about every child and adult involved, including name, age, race, gender, and contact information. You will be asked about the abuse, including any physical, mental or sexual injuries, when and where it occurred, and the relationships of the alleged perpetrator to the child.
You may also be asked when the next contact might be, about any cultural or language considerations, and if you have previous evidence of abuse.
Making a report can be anonymous, but the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline encourages callers to provide their name and relationships to the child and/or family, as caseworkers may have additional questions and could use your help.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that in homes where violence between partners occurs, there is a 45% to 60% chance of co-occurring child abuse. Even when children do not directly experience physical or emotional violence, continued exposure to domestic violence in the home can have the same devastating impacts as direct violence to a child. If you have reason to believe that a child may be harmed directly or through witnessing violence, reporting is an appropriate action.
Remember that as a reporter, you do not have to be an expert. You may not know the extent of abuse happening within the home, or the facts may not rise to the threshold of Oregon Child Welfare investigation. In most cases, Child Welfare believes the best way to protect a child is by strengthening the parent’s ability to care for children. Often Child Welfare will offer services and help families access local resources. Making a call is only the first step in the assessment process. Trained child protective services workers from Oregon Child Welfare will make a determination about whether children can remain safely at home.
Your report is just an alert to Oregon Child Welfare. The trained Child Welfare staff will ultimately make the assessment of the details after the report. They will decide on the next steps. Even if the assessment leads to the conclusion that no child abuse occurred, it’s important to make the call, even if you just have a suspicion.
The Oregon Child Welfare staff will assess the information shared and will determine if there is enough information for child protective services to conduct an investigation. Some information is confidential under Oregon law so you may not be told details of the assessment. Child Welfare will try to give you information that is permitted, if it’s in the best interest of the child.
There are lots of supportive people who are required to report suspicions of child abuse. Tell someone you know is safe and that you trust. Teachers, doctors, and other professionals who work with children may be mandated reporters who can help you and inform Child Welfare. If you believe you are in serious, immediate danger, contact 911. If you may harm yourself, contact Lines for Life at (800) 273-8255. You can also contact the Oregon Child Welfare Hotline, or any of the resources available on this page.
Oregon has many different supportive services tailored just for you. You can start by calling 211 to get more information about different resources in your area. You can also contact Oregon Abuse Advocates and Survivors in Service who have a deep knowledge bank to help.
Let the child know that whatever has happened to them is not their fault. Stay calm and don’t act shocked or angry. Tell the child that you will get in touch with someone who can help them and that they will need to talk to them about what has happened. Always take any report of child abuse seriously and call the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline if a child discloses possible abuse. Reporting to local police may also be a good option, especially if the person who harmed the child is not a family member or living within the child’s home. Don’t force a child to tell more than they are ready to talk about. Remember, you don’t have to prove that abuse has occurred. You just need to be present in the moment and make the call right away. This can be a scary time for a child and they will need your help and support.
Mandatory reporters are individuals who, because of their profession, are legally required to report signs of child abuse to the authorities around the clock. From teachers to coaches, doctors and more, these professionals are bound by certain laws set in place to prevent and intervene in child abuse at the earliest possible stage.