Reporting Suspected Child Maltreatment

F.A.Q.sFrequently Asked Questions

What do I do if I suspect a child, youth or vulnerable adult in my care is being abused or neglected?

REPORT IT!Call

1-800-482-5964You can also send a fax report

if it's not an emergency.

~ALSO~Let the designated staff person who is in

charge of the activity you are supervising know. He/she will make sure all of the church Safe

Sanctuary policies are followed.

Do I have to report suspected abuse

or neglect?

If you are a mandated reporter, YES!

If you are NOT a mandated reporter, think: WWJD?

~ALSO~

In Arkansas, anyone CAN report abuse or neglect.

Mandated reporters MUST report. Mandated reporters are people who are teachers, child care workers, doctors, dentists, nurses, law

enforcement, social workers, foster caregivers etc.

Can someone keep me from reporting suspected child abuse?

No!That’s against the law!

What if I call in a report and it turns out to be false?

As long as you make a good faith effort to report the suspected abuse, you will not be held liable.

What if I suspect child abuse but I don't make a report?

You could be held liable for damages that result from failing to report.

If I make a report, can someone find out that I was the one who did it?

No. Your identity is confidential.

Someone could make a "lucky guess" but your identity will not be confirmed by the case worker.

What kind of information will the hotline people need from me?

Name and age of childCaregiver’s name & address County where incident occurred or child resides How the person calling knows the family Whether the child has injuriesWhen the child was last seen and by whom Names of others in the home Where the child is located now\Whether there are safety concerns in the home (alcohol, drugs, weapons, etc.) Who else knows or was told of the situationWhether there has been a report made to local police.