Child Abuse Reporting


In Texas:
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) offers a central location to report:

• child abuse and neglect,
• elderly or adults with disabilities abuse, neglect, or exploitation,
• abuse of children in licensed child-care facilities or treatment centers for the entire State of Texas,
• abuse of clients served by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) or Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) employees in State Hospitals or State Schools.

The law requires any person who believes that a child, or person 65 years or older, or an adult with disabilities is being abused, neglected, or exploited to report the circumstances to DFPS. A person making a report is immune from civil or criminal liability provided they make the report in good faith, and the name of the person making the report is kept confidential. Any person suspecting abuse and not reporting it can be held liable for a Class B misdemeanor. Time frames for investigating reports are based on severity of allegations. Reporting suspected child abuse makes it possible for a family to get help.

• 1-800-252-5400
  Call our Abuse Hotline toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nationwide.

www.txabusehotline.org

Make your report through our secure web site and you will receive a response within 24 hours.

If a school employee sees unexplained injuries to a child, he or she is required to
report those injuries to child-protection officials. Most of the time the system works as it should to protect children. However, nationwide schools have sometimes used the child protection reporting system to harass parents who zealously advocate for their legal children’s rights.

False Child Abuse Reporting laws in Indiana
Indiana Statute: § 31-33-22-1; § 31-33-22-3(a)-(b)

Failure to Report
Standard: Knowingly
Penalty: Class B misdemeanor
Staff member of a medical or other institution, school, facility, or agency: Class B misdemeanor penalty imposed in addition to above.

False Reporting
Standard: Intentionally
Penalty: Class A misdemeanor: liable for actual damages and possibly punitive damages. Class D felony, if there is a prior conviction

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