Children’s Justice Task Force
September 2020
Revised Edition
Manual for
Mandated Reporters
2
Guidelines for Calling the Child Abuse Hotline
Illinois Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873)
e Hotline operates 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Reporters should be prepared to provide
phone numbers where they may be reached throughout the day in case the Hotline must call
back for more information.
If your call is not an emergency, please submit your report online through our online
reporting system at https://dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov/.
Mandated reporters are required to call the Hotline when they have reasonable cause to believe that a child
known to them in their professional or ocial capacity may be an abused or neglected child. e Hotline
worker will determine if the information given by the reporter meets the legal requirements to initiate an
investigation.
Criteria needed for a child abuse or neglect investigation
• e alleged victim is a child under the age of 18.
• e alleged perpetrator is a parent, guardian, foster parent, relative caregiver, paramour, any individual
residing in the same home, any person responsible for the child’s welfare at the time of the alleged
abuse or neglect, or any person who came to know the child through an ocial capacity or position
of trust (for example: health care professionals, educational personnel, recreational supervisors,
members of the clergy, volunteers or support personnel) in settings where children may be subject
to abuse and neglect.
• ere must be an incident of harm or a set of circumstances that would lead a reasonable person to
suspect that a child was abused or neglected
Information the reporter should have ready to give to the Hotline
•
Names, birth dates (or approximate ages), races, genders, etc. for all adult and child subjects.
• Addresses for all victims and perpetrators, including current location.
• Information about the siblings or other family members, if available.
• Specic information about the abusive incident or the circumstances contributing to risk of harm—for
example, when the incident occurred, the extent of the injuries, how the child says it happened, and
any other pertinent information.
If this information is not readily available, the reporter should not delay a call to the hotline.
3
e Department of Children and Family Services has designed this manual to help you understand your
responsibility to report suspected child abuse and neglect to the DCFS Child Abuse Hotline. If your report is
accepted, DCFS child protection specialists will begin an investigation to determine the occurrence of abuse
or neglect. You will be informed of the investigation results, and you may request a review of “unfounded”
investigations if there is important information that was overlooked during the investigation (see ANCRA, 325
ILCS 5/7.21). If the Hotline does not accept your report, you may ask to speak with a Hotline supervisor and have
your information reassessed as stated on page 24 of this manual.
is manual contains a link to a copy of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA) which denes the
department’s intake and investigation of child abuse and neglect reports. Some of the most signicant changes to
this law that have taken eect since this manual was last revised are noted below.
1. e list of mandated reporters required by the Act to report child abuse and neglect has been broadened
and claried to now include: “licensed professional counselors of any oce, clinic, or any other physical
location that provides abortions, abortion referrals, or contraceptives.” [325 ILCS 5/4]
2. e denition for “Police station” now means a municipal police station, a county sheri’s oce, a
campus police department located on any college or university owned or controlled by the State or any
private college or private university that is not owned or controlled by the State when employees of the
campus police department are present, or any of the district headquarters of the Illinois State Police.
[315 ILCS 2/10]
(e above denition has a direct eect on Section 300.180, Abandoned Newborn Infants)
3. Personnel of institutions of higher education, athletic program or facility personnel,
and early intervention providers are now mandated reporters.
4. Possibly one of the most disturbing issues of our times worldwide and one that has aected us here at
home as well is the worldwide epidemic of “Human Tracking.” No longer seen only in Eastern Europe or
Asia, but now here in Illinois, allegation #40/90 Human Tracking of Children has been added to ANCRA
and it is dened as follows: “Federal law denes severe forms of tracking of persons as: sex tracking
in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to
perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision,
or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of
subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.” [U.S.C.§ 7102(8)]
5. If your call is not an emergency, please submit your report online through our online reporting system at
https://dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov/.
In addition to distributing this manual, the Department of Children and Family Services provides an online
training course entitled Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters, available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year on the DCFS website.
4
e preparation of this manual has been accomplished through the dedicated
eorts of numerous individuals and several committees working in coordination
with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Illinois
Children’s Justice Task Force. While it is impossible to recognize everyone who
contributed to this project, the department truly appreciates the generous help
which researchers, editors, commentators, and child protection managers and
supervisors provided for this manual to reach completion. Particular appreci-
ation is accorded to the following people who played an instrumental part in
the manual’s development.
Original Research and Composition
Susan Livingston Smith, Professor, Department of Social Work,
Illinois State University
Ann H. Cohen, Professor of Political Science, Illinois State University
Mary Lynn, Former Child Protection Supervisor, Department of
Children and Family Services
Cheryl R. Peterson, Former Children’s Justice Coordinator, Department of
Children and Family Services
Consultation and Commentary
Oce of Child and Family Policy, Department of Children and Family Services
Erin Sorenson, Director, Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center
Tim Moss, Investigator, Illinois State Police
William Wasko, Former Child Protection Manager, Department of
Children and Family Services
Robin Cona, Former Attorney, Illinois State Board of Education
omas Ryan, Clinical Consultant on Childhood Trauma
Donald Schlosser, Vice Chairperson, Statewide Citizens Committee on
Child Abuse and Neglect
Emalee Flaherty, M.D., Formerly with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of
Chicago, Retired
Betsy Goulet, Children’s Justice Task Force
Training Committee, Attorney General’s Task Force on Violence to Children
Leadership
e Illinois Children’s Justice Task Force
Acknowledgments
5
INTRODUCTION 7
Child Welfare Laws and their Impact 7
Diculties in Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect 8
RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANDATED REPORTERS 10
Who are mandated reporters? 10
What is required of mandated reporters? 12
What is abuse? 17
What are the guidelines to determine whether there is reasonable
cause to believe physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect may
have occurred? 18
When can the Department of Children & Family Services
become involved in suspected cases of child abuse or neglect? 20
Talking to the Hotline 20
MAKING A REPORT: Calling the DCFS Hotline 21
e State Central Register Hotline 22
In an organization such as a school or a hospital, who
should make the report? 22
What happens if I call and all the lines are busy? 22
SCR Hotline Procedures 23
What if I do not agree with the Hotline about whether a report
should be taken? 24
What happens if a report is taken? 24
REFERRALS 24
Child Welfare Services (CWS) Referrals 24
Response to request for child welfare services 24
Referrals to Local Law Enforcement Agencies and State Attorney’s Oce 24
Notication to law enforcement 25
HOW DCFS INVESTIGATES REPORTS 26
Will I as a mandated reporter be contacted by DCFS? 27
Who else will be contacted by investigators? 27
Should I contact anyone, such as parents, aer I make a report? 28
What evidence is needed to indicate a report? 28
Physical Abuse Investigations 28
Sexual Abuse Investigations 30
Neglect Investigations 32
What happens as a result of the investigation? 33
Indicated Cases 33
Unfounded Cases 34
What happens when a professional or a child care
facility is involved as the perpetrator in an indicated
nding of child abuse? 34
Are perpetrators in indicated cases of abuse ever prosecuted? 35
What are child welfare services, and what do they have to do
with child abuse investigations? 36
In what circumstances are children removed from their
families as a result of abuse allegations? 36
Will I nd out what decisions are made in cases I reported? 37
CONCLUSION 37
WEB-BASED RESOURCES AND APPENDICES 38
Appendix A: Instructions for accessing the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act
Appendix B: Checklist for Mandated Reporters
Appendix C: DCFS Allegations System
Appendix D: Reporting Forms
Table of
Contents
6
Disclaimer
is manual is provided as a public service by the Illinois Department of Children and
Family Services and is intended for the informational use and convenience of interested
persons and should not be considered a substitute for the advice of legal counsel.
Although the information found in this manual is believed to be reliable as of the time
of this manual’s publication, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding
the accuracy, completeness, or legality of any information, either isolated or in the
aggregate. e information is provided “as is”. Changes may be periodically made to
the information contained herein; these changes may or may not be incorporated into
this manual; and information contained in the manual may quickly become out of date.
erefore, we encourage you to consult an attorney of your choice for legal advice and
for the most recent versions and interpretations of the applicable law.
Further, if you nd any errors or omissions, we encourage you to report them to the
DCFS Oce of Child and Family Policy by email at DCFS.Policy@illinois.gov or phone
217-524-1983.
7
Introduction
A professional with the legal responsibility to report suspected child abuse or
neglect carefully considers the decision to make a report. Sometimes the case
is clear cut; other times there are issues which make reporting less certain.
e goal of this manual is to help guide you in making that critical decision.
Professionals who work with children need to know:
• Who must report suspected abuse or neglect of children?
• What happens when a report of child abuse or neglect is
made?
• Why are some cases accepted for investigation while
others are not?
• What are the legal denitions of abuse and neglect and
how are they interpreted?
• What legal protections are aorded mandated reporters?
• What are the possible penalties for failure to report?
• What happens aer a report is accepted?
e purpose of this manual is to answer these questions and to acquaint you
with the operation of the child protection system in Illinois.
e ability of the state to intervene in families to protect children comes
from the authority granted to the State by law. Both legislation and case law
established by the courts set the limits of State intervention. While there are
many laws guiding child protection and child welfare interventions, the most
important in Illinois is the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act
(ANCRA). Illinois (and all other states) require a wide range of professionals
to report suspected child maltreatment. ese professionals and any other
person required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect are called
mandated reporters. In Illinois, the denition of abuse and neglect and the
denition of mandated reporters and some of the “rules” for investigating
and responding to abuse and neglect are spelled out in the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA) of 1975. is act has been amended
numerous times and forms the basis for all child protection policies and
activities throughout the State.
Child Welfare
Laws and eir
Impact
8
Diculties in
Reporting Child
Abuse
and Neglect
e Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is the state agency
given the responsibility by ANCRA to conduct investigations of child
maltreatment and to arrange for needed services for children and families
where credible evidence of abuse or neglect exists (“Indicated” cases). In
Illinois, approximately 65 percent of all calls to report abuse or neglect to
DCFS’s Hotline (the central registry for reporting) come from mandated
reporters.
e requirement that professionals report child maltreatment, together
with a growing public awareness of child abuse and neglect, have had a
signicant impact over the past 25 years. Reports of abuse and neglect have
risen sharply nationwide. An estimated 125,000 Illinois children are abused
or neglected each year, and one in ve kids are abused before age 18. DCFS
receives, investigates and acts upon a report of child abuse or neglect every
ve minutes, child sex abuse every two hours, and a child death by abuse or
neglect every day-and-a-half.
Despite the increase in reports, many serious cases of child maltreatment go
unreported, even by mandated reporters. On the other hand, many calls to
the Hotline are not accepted as reports to be investigated or are found to lack
credible evidence of abuse or neglect when investigated (“Unfounded” cases).
ere are a number of issues which help explain this seeming inconsistency.
• Some reporters believe that “it doesn’t do any good” to make a
report. is concern may come from the experience of having a
report not accepted or from not seeing any clear benecial result
from the report.
• Reporters may not be open to the possibility of child maltreatment
and may therefore deny its presence.
• e lack of specicity in the law and its denitions of abuse and
neglect create many “gray areas”, leading to confusion for reporters.
While this lack of specicity may make judgment about what
must be reported unclear, it also allows for some exibility in
interpretation. is is important in covering all possible situations.
• Reporters may lack a thorough understanding of the limits of the
authority of DCFS to intervene in certain kinds of situations that fall
outside DCFS’s legal jurisdiction.
• Finally, concern about a child’s well-being or a fear of being accused
of failing to report may lead mandated reporters to “err on the side
of caution”, reporting incidents that may not meet the denition of
abuse or neglect.
9
When mandated reporters make good faith eorts and their reports are either
not accepted by the DCFS Hotline or are not indicated upon investigation,
reporters can feel frustrated and distrustful. Yet, due to the limitations of its
legal jurisdiction, DCFS cannot accept some cases.
Careful screening of reports by Hotline sta is in order. e investigation
of abuse or neglect is necessarily very intrusive into family life. e state
must exercise its authority cautiously and appropriately in order to respect
the rights of parents. e guiding principle used is “minimally acceptable
parenting standards.” e State has the authority to intervene in family life
when basic standards of care and protection from harm are not met. Not
only the law, but the courts constrain DCFS intervention. It is important
to remember that many decisions about child protection are made in
conjunction with the court. In Illinois the Juvenile Court determines if there
is sucient evidence to adjudicate a child abused or neglected under the law.
e court also determines if children will be removed from their homes and
placed in foster care. In making its decisions, the Juvenile Court must have a
preponderance of evidence that abuse or neglect has occurred.
Mandated reporters express concern that children who have been abused
or neglected oen remain in their parents’ care. is fact illustrates the
philosophy and law of the State of Illinois as well as federal law that the
majority of children are best served in their own homes by their own families,
with specialized services and monitoring of child safety provided by the State.
According to ANCRA, DCFS shall
“protect the health, safety, and best interests of the child in all
situations in which the child is vulnerable to child abuse or neglect,
oer protective services in order to prevent any further harm to the
child and to other children in the same environment or family,
stabilize the home environment, and preserve family life whenever possible.”
(325 ILCS 5/2)
In making a report, mandated reporters are in the best position to identify
signs of harm to children and to take the steps necessary to help protect them.
is manual should increase your understanding of the procedure for making
a report and your knowledge of what happens once a report is accepted.
By making the most eective reports, the available resources for protecting
children can be put to the best use.
10
is section identies the responsibilities of mandated reporters to report
child maltreatment and the basic types of maltreatment that must be
reported. e information in this chapter comes from the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/4).
Mandated reporters are professionals who may work with children in the
course of their professional duties. e following persons are required to
immediately report to the Department when they have reasonable cause to
believe that a child known to them in their professional or ocial capacities
may be an abused child or neglected child:
Medical Personnel, including any: physician licensed to practice
medicine in any of its branches (medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy);
resident; intern; medical administrator or personnel engaged in the
examination, care, and treatment of persons; psychiatrist; surgeon;
dentist; dental hygienist; chiropractic physician; podiatric physician;
physician assistant; emergency medical technician; acupuncturist;
registered nurse; licensed practical nurse; advanced practice registered
nurse; genetic counselor; respiratory care practitioner; home health aide
or certied nursing assistant.
Social Service and Mental Health Personnel, including any: licensed
professional counselor; licensed clinical professional counselor; licensed
social worker; licensed clinical social worker; licensed psychologist or
assistant working under direct supervision of a psychologist; associate
licensed marriage and family therapist; licensed marriage and family
therapist; eld personnel of the Departments of Healthcare and Family
Services, Public Health, Human Services, Human Rights, or Children and
Family Services; supervisor or administrator of the General Assistance
program established under Article VI of the Illinois Public Aid Code;
social services administrator; or substance abuse treatment personnel.
Crisis Intervention Personnel, including any: crisis line or hotline
personnel; or domestic violence program personnel.
Education Personnel, including any: school personnel (including
administrators and certied and non-certied school employees);
personnel of institutions of higher education; educational advocate
assigned to a child in accordance with the School Code; member of a
school board or the Chicago Board of Education or the governing body of
a private school (but only to the extent required under Section 4 (d) of the
Abused and Neglect Reporting Act [325 ILCS 5/4 (d)]; or truant ocer.
Recreation or Athletic Program or Facility Personnel
Child Care Personnel, including any: early intervention provider as
dened in the Early Intervention Services System Act; director or sta
assistant of a nursery school or a child day care center; or foster parent,
homemaker or child care worker.
Law Enforcement Personnel, including any: law enforcement ocer;
eld personnel of the Department of Juvenile Justice; eld personnel
of the Department of Corrections; probation ocer; or animal control
Who are
mandated
reporters?
Responsibilities
of Mandated
Reporters
11
ocer or eld investigator of the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of
Animal Health and Welfare.
Any Funeral Home Director; Embalmer; funeral home employee;
Coroner; or Medical Examiner
Any Member of the Clergy
Any Physician, physician assistant, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse,
medical technician, certied nursing assistant, licensed social worker, licensed
clinical social worker, or licensed professional counselor of any oce, clinic,
or any other physical location that provides abortions, abortion referrals or
contraceptives. [325 ILCS 5/4]
When 2 or more persons who work within the same workplace and are
required to report under this Act share a reasonable cause to believe that a
child may be an abused or neglected child, one of those reporters may be
designated to make a single report. e report shall include the names and
contact information for the other mandated reporters sharing the reasonable
cause to believe that a child may be an abused or neglected child. e
designated reporter must provide written conrmation of the report to those
mandated reporters within 48 hours. If conrmation is not provided, those
mandated reporters are individually responsible for immediately ensuring a
report is made. Nothing in this Section precludes or may be used to preclude
any person from reporting child abuse or child neglect. [325 ILCS 5/4]
Note: Additional conrmation that a report was made may be established by
obtaining the intake number from the designated mandated reporter.
As used in this Section, “a child known to them in their professional or ocial
capacities” means:
1. e mandated reporter comes into contact with the child in the
course of the reporter’s employment or practice of a profession, or
through a regularly scheduled program, activity or service;
2. e mandated reporter is aliated with an agency, institution,
organization, school, school district, regularly established church or
religious organization, or other entity that is directly responsible for
the care, supervision, guidance or training of the child; or
3. A person makes a specic disclosure to the mandated reporter that
an identiable child is the victim of child abuse or child neglect, and
the disclosure happens while the mandated reporter is engaged in
his or her employment or practice of a profession, or in a regularly
scheduled program, activity or service.
Nothing in this Section requires a child to come before the mandated reporter in
order for the reporter to make a report of suspected child abuse or child neglect.
[325 ILCS 6/5]
In addition to the persons required to report suspected cases of child abuse or
child neglect under the Section, any other person may make a report if such
person has reasonable cause to believe a child may be an abused child or
neglected child. [325 ILCS 6/5]
12
Mandated reporters are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect
immediately when they have “reasonable cause to believe” that a child
known to them in their professional or ocial capacity may be an abused or
neglected child”. (325 ILCS 5/4) Reports are made done by calling the DCFS
Hotline at 1-800-252-2873 or 1-800-25ABUSE.
Note: If your call is not an emergency, please submit your report
online through the online reporting system at
https://dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov/.
As professionals who work with children, mandated reporters are assumed
to be in the best position to recognize and report child abuse and neglect as
soon as possible. Mandated reporters are the state’s “early warning system” to
identify probable abuse early enough to avoid serious and long-term damage
to a child. e State’s primary goal is to protect the child and, whenever
possible, to stabilize and preserve the family so that it may remain intact.
e Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act places several requirements
on you as a mandated reporter.
• You are required to “immediately report or cause a report to be made
to the department” of suspected child abuse or neglect.
• Privileged communication between professional and client is not
grounds for failure to report. Willful failure to report suspected
incidents of child abuse or neglect is a misdemeanor (rst
violation) or a class 4 felony (second or subsequent violation).
Further, professionals may be subject to penalties by their regulatory
boards for willful failure to report. A member of the clergy may claim
privilege under Section 8-803 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
• State law protects the identity of all mandated reporters,
and you are given immunity from legal liability as a result
of reports you make in good faith; however, you may have to testify
regarding any incident you report if the case becomes the subject of
legal or judicial action.
• Reports must be conrmed in writing to the local investigation unit
within 48 hours of the Hotline call. Forms may be obtained from
the local DCFS oce or you may duplicate and use the forms in
Appendix D of this manual.
What is
required of
mandated
reporters?
13
Mandated
reporter
training
Persons required to report child abuse or child neglect as provided under this
Section must complete an initial mandated reporter training within three
months of their date of engagement in a professional or ocial capacity as a
mandated reporter, or within the timeframe of any other applicable state law
that governs training requirements for a specic profession, and at least every
three years thereaer. e initial requirement only applies to the rst time
they engage in their professional or ocial capacity. In lieu of training every
three years, medical personnel, as listed in paragraph (1) of Section 4 (a) of
the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, must meet the requirements
described in subsection (k) of the Act. [325 ILCS 5/4]
e trainings shall be in-person or web-based, and shall include, at a
minimum, information on the following topics:
• Indicators for recognizing child abuse and neglect, as dened under
this Act;
• e process for reporting suspected child abuse and child neglect in
Illinois as required by this Act and the required documentation;
• Responding to a child in a trauma-informed manner; and
• Understanding the response of child protective services and the role of
the reporter aer a call has been made. Child-serving organizations are
encouraged to provide in-person annual trainings.
e mandated reporter training shall be provided through the Department,
through an entity authorized to provide continuing education for
professionals licensed through the Department of Financial and Professional
Regulation, the State Board of Education, the Illinois Law Enforcement
Training Standards Board, the Department of State Police, or through an
organization approved by the Department to provide mandated reporter
training. e Department must make available a free web-based training for
reporters (a free online mandated reporter training is available on the DCFS
website for all mandated reporters and the general public).
Each mandated reporter shall report to his or her employer and, when
applicable, to his or her licensing or certication board that he or she received
the mandated reporter training. e mandated reporter shall maintain
records of completion.
Beginning January 1, 2021, if a mandated reporter receives licensure from the
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or the State Board of
Education, and his or her profession has continuing education requirements,
the training mandated under this Section shall count toward meeting the
licensee’s required continuing education hours.
Medical personnel, as listed in paragraph (1) of Section 4(a) of the Abused
and Neglected Child Reporting Act who work with children in their
professional or ocial capacity, must complete mandated reporter training
at least every six years. Such medical personnel, if licensed, must attest at
each time of licensure renewal on their renewal form that they understand
14
they are a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect, that they are aware
of the process for making a report, that they know how to respond to a child
in a trauma-informed manner, and that they are aware of the role of child
protective services and the role of a reporter aer a call has been made.
In lieu of repeated training, medical personnel, as listed in paragraph (1) of
Section 4(a), of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, who do not
work with children in their professional or ocial capacity, may instead attest
each time at licensure renewal on their renewal form that they understand
they are a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect, that they are aware
of the process for making a report, that they know how to respond to a child
in a trauma-informed manner, and that they are aware of the role of child
protective services and the role of a reporter aer a call has been made.
Nothing in this paragraph precludes medical personnel from completing
mandated reporter training and receiving continuing education credits for
that training. [325 ILCS 5/4]
Individuals who became mandated reporters on or aer July 1, 1986, by
virtue of their employment shall sign statements acknowledging that they
are mandated to report suspected child abuse and neglect in accordance
with Section 4 of the Act. e statement shall be on a form prescribed by the
Department, but provided by the employer. e statement shall be signed
before beginning employment and shall be retained by the employer as a
permanent part of the personnel record.
Note: e Department shall provide copies of this Act, upon request, to all
employers employing persons who shall be required under the provisions of
this Section to report under this Act. [325 ILCS 5/4]
Whenever such person is required to report under the Act in his or her
capacity as member of the sta of a medical or other public or private
institution, school, facility or agency, or as a member of the clergy, he or
she shall make a report immediately to the Department in accordance with
provisions of the Act and may also notify the person in charge of such
institution, school, facility or agency, or church, synagogue, temple, mosque,
or other religious institution, or his or her designated agent that such a report
has been made. Under no circumstances shall any person in charge of such
institution, school, facility or agency, or church, synagogue, temple, mosque,
or other religious institution, or designated agent to whom such notication
has been made exercise any control, restraint, modication or other change in
the report or the forwarding of such report to the Department. [325 ILCS 5/4]
Any person who knowingly transmits a false report to the Department
commits the oense of disorderly conduct under subsection (a)(7) of Section
26-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. A violation of this provision is a Class 4
felony.
Acknowledgment
of reporting
responsibility
Interference
with reporting
prohibited
15
Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any provisions of [Section
4 of the Act] other than a second or subsequent violation of transmitting
a false report as described in the preceding paragraph, is guilty of a Class
A misdemeanor for a rst violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or
subsequent violation. [325 ILCS 5/4]
No employer shall discharge, demote or suspend, or threaten to discharge,
demote or suspend, or in any manner discriminate against any employee who
makes a good faith oral or written report of suspected child abuse or neglect,
or who is or will be a witness or testify in any investigation or proceeding
concerning a report of suspected child abuse or neglect. [325 ILCS 5/9.1]
e privileged quality of communication between any professional person
required to report and his or her patient or client shall not apply to situations
involving abused or neglected children and shall not constitute grounds for
failure to report as required by the Act or constitute grounds for failure to
share information or documents with the Department during the course of
a child abuse or neglect investigation. If requested by the professional, the
Department shall conrm in writing that the information or documents
disclosed by the professional were gathered in the course of a child abuse or
neglect investigation. [325 ILCS 5/4]
Mandated reporters who willfully fail to report suspected child abuse or
neglect are subject to license suspension or revocation in accordance with, but
not limited to the following statutes:
• Nurse Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 65];
• Medical Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 60];
• Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 100];
• Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act [225 ILCS 15];
• Clinical Social Worker and Social Work Practice Act [225 ILCS 20);
• e School Code [105 ILCS 5];
• e Illinois Dental Practice Act [225 ILCS 25];
• Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 95];
• Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 [225 ILCS 80];
• Illinois Physical erapy Act [225 ILCS 90]; and
• Illinois Athletic Trainers Act [225 ILCS 5].
Any physician who willfully fails to report child abuse or neglect shall be
referred to the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Board for action and similar
referrals are required for dentists and dental hygienists. Any other person
required to report suspected child abuse or neglect who willfully fails to
report such abuse or neglect shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a
rst violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation.
[325 ILCS 5/4.02]
Members of clergy of any religious denomination accredited by the religious
body to which he or she belongs shall not be compelled to disclose a
confession or admission made to him or her in his or her professional
character or as a spiritual advisor.
Consequences of
failure to Report
16
Mandated reporters shall conrm their telephone report in writing on a
form prescribed by the Department within 48 hours aer the oral report. e
Department shall provide forms to mandated reporters, one for the exclusive
use of medical professionals (CANTS 4 Written Conrmation of Suspected
Child Abuse/Neglect Report: Medical Professionals) and another for use by
all other mandated reporters (CANTS 5 Written Conrmation of Suspected
Child Abuse/Neglect Report: Mandated Reporters). ese conrmation
reports shall be admissible as evidence in any administrative or judicial
proceeding related to child abuse or neglect.
Any person who knowingly transmits a false report to the Department
commits the oense of disorderly conduct under subsection (a)(7) of Section
26-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. A violation of this provision is a Class 4
felony.
Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any provisions of [Section 4
of the Act] other than a second or subsequent violation of submitting a false
report as described in the preceding paragraph is guilty of a Class 4 felony
for a second or subsequent violation. [325 ILCS 5/4] e Department shall
refer cases of false reporting to the local State’s Attorney when the reporter is
known.
Any person who makes a report or who investigates a report under the Act
shall testify fully in any judicial proceedings or administrative hearings
resulting from such report, as to any evidence of abuse or neglect, or the
cause thereof. Any person who is required to report a suspected case of
abuse or neglect shall testify fully in any administrative hearing resulting
from such report, as to any evidence of abuse or neglect or the cause thereof.
No evidence shall be excluded by reason of any common law or statutory
privilege relating to communications between the alleged perpetrator of
abuse or neglect, or the child subject of the report and any person who is
required to report a suspected case of abuse or neglect or the person making
or investigating the report. [325 ILCS 5/10]
All mandated reporters listed in this manual may refer to the Department of
Public Health any pregnant person in Illinois who is addicted as dened in
the Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse and Dependency Act. [20 ILCS 30 I]
A child whose parent, guardian or custodian in good faith selects and
depends upon spiritual means through prayer alone for the treatment or
cure of disease or remedial care may be considered neglected or abused, but
not for the sole reason that his parent, guardian, or custodian accepts and
practices such beliefs. [325 ILCS 5/4]
Written
conrmation
of reports
Consequences
of false
reporting
Cooperation
in court or
administrative
hearings
Referrals
to public health
Depending upon
spiritual means
through prayer alone
for the treatment or
cure of disease or
remedial care
17
Physical Abuse as dened by 325 ILCS 5/3 occurs when a parent or a person
responsible for the child’s welfare:
• “inicts, causes to be inicted, or allows to be inicted upon such
child physical injury, by other than accidental means, which causes
death, disgurement, impairment of physical or emotional health, or
loss or impairment of any bodily function”. Such common injuries
include bruises, human bites, bone fractures, and burns.
• “creates a substantial risk of physical injury” likely to have the
physical impacts listed above. Examples in DCFS allegation
denitions include such incidents as choking or smothering a child,
shaking or throwing a small child, and violently pushing or shoving
a child into xed objects. Other circumstances include incidents
of domestic violence in which the child was threatened, violations
of orders for the perpetrator to remain apart from the child, and a
history of past sexual abuse that may place other children at risk.
• commits “acts of torture” which is dened by DCFS as “deliberately
and/or systematically inicting cruel or unusual treatment which
results in physical or mental suering”.
• “inicts excessive corporal punishment” is included in ANCRA, but
is not specically further dened by DCFS. However, bruises inicted
on a child, especially a young child, are usually considered to meet
this denition.
• “commits or allows to be committed the oense of female
genital mutilation.”
• “causes to be sold, transferred, distributed, or given to such child
under 18 years of age, a controlled substance” (i.e. illegal drugs)
except when prescribed by a physician.
Sexual Abuse occurs when a person responsible for the child’s welfare com-
mits any of the following acts:
• sexually transmitted diseases are by DCFS denition “diseases which
were acquired originally as a result of sexual penetration or conduct
with an individual who was aicted”
• sexual penetration includes any contact between the sex organ of one
person and the sex organ, mouth, or anus of another person. Typical
acts include vaginal, oral and anal sex.
• sexual exploitation is the use of a child for sexual arousal,
gratication, advantage, or prot. Arousal and gratication of
sexual need may be inferred from the act itself and surrounding
circumstances.
• Sexual conduct is dened in the Illinois Criminal Sexual Assault Act
as “any intentional or knowing touching or fondling of the victim or the
perpetrator, either directly or through clothing of the sex organs, anus or
breast of the victim or the accused, or any part of the body of a child…
What is abuse?
18
What are the
guidelines to
determine if there
is reasonable
cause to
believe physical
abuse, sexual abuse,
or neglect may
have occurred?
for the purpose of sexual gratication or arousal of the victim or the
accused.” Criminal Code of 2012 [720 ILCS 5/11-0.1].
• Substantial risk of sexual injury means that the parent, caregiver,
immediate family member, person in a position of trust, other person
residing in the home or the parent’s paramour has created a real and
signicant danger of sexual abuse, as explained in Procedures 300,
Appendix B.
For both physical and sexual abuse, parents and caretakers are charged with
the responsibility to take reasonable steps to stop abuse. If they do not, they
may be charged with abuse themselves. (325 ILCS 5/3)
Neglect occurs when a person responsible for the child deprives or fails to
provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or needed medical
treatment. Neglect is also alleged when an adult provides inadequate
supervision of a child. is can occur when children are le either
unsupervised or in the care of someone unable to supervise due to his/her
condition. ANCRA also includes the following when dening neglected child;
“a child “who is subjected to an environment which is injurious insofar as
(i) the child’s environment creates a likelihood of harm to the child’s health,
physical well-being, or welfare and (ii) the likely harm to the child is the result
of a blatant disregard of parent or caretaker responsibilities.” Children can
suer injuries that are the result of “blatant disregard” and are considered
neglect. According to DCFS, “Blatant disregard” means an incident where
the real, signicant, and imminent risk of harm would be so obvious to a
reasonable parent or caretaker that it is unlikely that a reasonable parent or
caretaker would have exposed the child to the danger without exercising
precautionary measures to protect the child from harm. (Rules 300.20,
Denitions)
e denitions in ANCRA are not perfectly clear in helping mandated
reporters (or DCFS investigators later) in distinguishing between
inappropriate/undesirable parenting and those acts which constitute abuse
and neglect. It is clear that there are many points at which judgments must be
made. What is “excessive” corporal punishment? At what age is it safe to leave
children alone? At what point does a dirty house become a health and safety
concern?
How do you distinguish poverty from neglect? e question to ask yourself is
“Has the child been harmed or been at substantial risk of harm?” is helps
focus the issue and moves away from value judgments and attitudes about
lifestyles.
In considering whether there is “reasonable cause” to make a report, there are
some issues that are important for mandated reporters to consider in deciding
whether to report an incident as suspected abuse or neglect. While it is not
the function of the mandated reporter to investigate, enough information
must be obtained to determine if a Hotline call is needed.
19
Did you observe evidence that some damage was done to the child? In
physical abuse, this is most oen some physical evidence of harm — a bruise,
a fracture, or cuts. In sexual abuse cases, it is usually information from the
victim about a specic incident of molestation, penetration, or exploitation.
With neglect, there are concrete observations of a failure to provide for
physical needs.
• What communication has the child provided? Is the information
consistent and plausible with what you have observed?
• If the explanation comes from someone other than the child, how
credible and/or complete is the information?
• Since the signs of sexual abuse can be uncertain, if a child tells you he/
she is being abused by a caretaker or person responsible for the child’s
welfare, report it.
• Have there been past incidents which, in retrospect, may have been
suspicious?
e law says that physical injury or the risk of injury that is accidental does
not constitute abuse. is does not include the “I didn’t mean to hit him so
hard” excuse as accidental, but it does mean that injury to a child caused
in reasonable circumstances may not be abuse. Children do engage in
activities and behaviors in which they receive injuries but for which no one
is responsible. On the other hand, some “accidental” injuries are preventable
and can be attributed to “blatant disregard”. What this means to the mandated
reporter is that any information you have about the circumstances of the
alleged abuse is important for the Hotline worker to know. When it is possible
to determine, however, that a cut or a bruise or even a broken bone was due to
an accident that might be understandable even with parental supervision, it is
not necessary to make the report.
20
When can the
Department of
Children and
Family Services
become involved
in suspected
cases of child
abuse or neglect?
e law in Illinois is quite clear about the circumstances under which DCFS
can investigate and intervene when abuse or neglect of a child is suspected.
e following conditions must be present:
1. the victim must be under the age of 18;
2. the alleged perpetrator (the person alleged to have committed the
abuse/neglect) must be a parent, step-parent, paramour of the natural
parent, guardian, foster parent, immediate family member (siblings
and grandparents), any person living in the home of the child, a
person who came to know the child through an ocial capacity
or position of trust (such as a teacher, health care professional, or
volunteer in a youth program), or a person who is responsible for
the welfare of the child (such as a babysitter, day care facility, or
residential facility); and
3. ere must be an incident of harm or a set of circumstances that
would lead a reasonable person to suspect that a child was abused or
neglected
ese conditions are very important. If a case does not contain all of these
elements, the Department has no jurisdiction and cannot investigate the
allegation. In such cases the Hotline intake worker may refer the reporter to
a community agency (domestic violence shelter, youth crisis center) or to
the police. If the reporter’s call is not accepted for investigation, the Hotline
worker must notify the reporter that the information is not sucient for a
report and will not be investigated. Such attempted reports, however, will be
kept on the computer data base for six months.
Your role as a mandated reporter is to inform the department when you
determine there is reason to believe that a child has been harmed or is in
danger of being harmed — physically, sexually, or through neglect — and that
a caretaker either committed the harm or should have taken steps to protect
the child from the harm. You need to make the report immediately and no
one within your employment setting is permitted to restrain the report. e
function of the Hotline worker is to determine whether or not the harm to
the child as described by the reporter qualies as abuse or neglect under the
State’s denition and can be investigated by DCFS. It is not the job of the
Hotline worker to make a determination that the suspected abuse has actually
occurred. is is the function of the DCFS child protection specialist.
Talking to the
Hotline
21
Most mandated reporters know that they are required to report suspected
incidents of abuse, but they are not sure to whom they are reporting or
what happens as a result of reports they make. is section provides an
introduction to the State Central Register Hotline, where all calls reporting
suspected abuse or neglect are taken. e discussion covers how the Hotline
works in taking calls and how the Hotline workers screen calls to decide
whether a report will be taken.
It is helpful to know some key terms as they are used by the department.
Allegation of harm – e content of the reporter’s concern about a
child is coded by the Hotline worker into one or more allegations which
dene the nature of the harm or the risk of harm to the child. e
allegations are listed in Appendix C.
Report – If the Hotline worker concludes that the allegation is one the
department is legally empowered to investigate and that there is sucient
information to warrant investigation, a report will be taken. is means
that DCFS will initiate an investigation of the allegation. Every call to the
Hotline does not necessarily result in a report.
Credible evidence – means that the available facts when viewed in light
of surrounding circumstances would cause a reasonable person to believe
that a child may have been abused or neglected.
Indicated – Cases are called “indicated” when an investigation has
determined that credible evidence of the alleged abuse or neglect can be
documented.
Unfounded – Cases are called “unfounded” when an investigation
has determined that credible evidence of the alleged abuse or neglect
cannot be documented. All unfounded reports are kept by the State
Central Register (SCR) for a period of no less than ve years. In addition,
mandated reporters may request a review of an unfounded report within
10 days of notication if they have concerns about the adequacy of the
investigation or if they feel that specic information has been overlooked.
Reports that are unfounded are expunged from the SCR computer
les when the retention period expires, unless the subject of the report
believes the report was falsely led and requests that it be retained.
Child welfare services referral – Means an assessment of the family
for service needs and linkage to available local community resources
for the purpose of preventing or remedying or assisting in the solution
of problems which may result in the neglect, abuse, exploitation, or
delinquency of children, and as further dened in Department rules and
procedures. [325 ILCS 5/7.01.]
Prior open service case – Means means a case in which the Department
has provided services to the family either directly or through a purchase
of service agency. [325 ILCS 5/7.01.]
Making a
Report
Calling the
DCFS
Hotline
22
All calls to report suspected abuse or neglect must be made to the statewide
Hotline. e toll-free number is 1-800-252-2873
(1-800-25-ABUSE). At the Hotline, specially trained intake workers answer
the phones and handle calls from anyone who wishes to report an incident
of suspected child abuse or neglect. e Hotline is available 24 hours per day,
seven days per week, 365 days a year.
Note: If your call is not an emergency, please submit your report online
through the online reporting system at
https://dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov/.
Ideally, the mandated reporter with the most direct knowledge of the
suspected abuse should be the one to make the call, however this is not a
requirement. Having more information and details of the situation may make
the dierence between getting a report taken or not. Sometimes someone else
in the organization is asked to make the actual call. is practice must not
delay the making of the report. In addition to calling the Hotline, a mandated
reporter may also notify his/her supervisors in the organization that a report
has been made. It must be noted, however, that ANCRA prohibits any
individual, even a supervisor, from suppressing, changing, or editing a report
(325 ILCS 5/4).
When someone other than the person who directly observed the evidence of
abuse is reporting, it is helpful for the sta member(s) with direct information
to write it down. You may wish to use the checklist in Appendix B as a way to
organize the information. is will ensure that both the Hotline and DCFS
investigative workers have complete and accurate information on which to
base decisions.
When too many calls come in to the Hotline to be taken immediately, a
recording will engage your call and a system is implemented to screen and
re-call reporters who are waiting. A “call back” will be made just as soon as an
intake worker becomes available. However, if your call is an emergency or a
child is in immediate danger, you should tell the message taker, and your call
will be taken. e Hotline system tries to assure that all call backs are made
just as soon as possible, but mandated reporters should take two steps when
dealing with the Hotline at a busy time:
1. Reporters should remain on the line, even when lines are
busy and a recording is heard; a worker will break in aer
a short time to take call back information.
2. When giving call back information, try to anticipate where
you will be for the next several hours and give the worker
not only your present number, but any number(s) where
you may be reached at a later time.
What happens if I
call and all the lines
are busy?
In an organization
such as a school
or a hospital, who
should make
the report?
e State Central
Register Hotline
23
Also, mandated reporters should anticipate that their callback may be
delayed. erefore, calls should be made to the Hotline well before the
end of a working day. It is always important to report suspected abuse or
neglect as soon as any evidence is observed. If children are in danger of
harm, it is important to begin the investigation quickly. Seeing children as
soon as possible is critical because perishable evidence such as bruises may
fade rapidly, or the willingness of the child to talk about the incident may
disappear. If possible, Hotline reports should be made during the week,
especially if it is desirable to see the children at school or at a day-care facility
during the week. A call made late Friday will result in the child being seen at
home on the weekend, making it harder to speak privately. Depending on the
allegation, this may not be the best situation for open disclosure.
When a Hotline worker answers a call, the worker should identify himself/
herself. If the worker forgets to do that, you are entitled to ask for the worker’s
name so you will know with whom you spoke. You may wish to note the
worker’s name, particularly if a report is not taken and you wish to talk
further with a supervisor. As explained earlier, it is the job of the Hotline
worker:
• to talk with callers to get as much information about the
allegation, the alleged victim(s), and the alleged perpetrator(s) as
possible; and
• to determine whether the harm, as described by the reporter,
qualies as alleged abuse or neglect under the law and department
guidelines.
Due to the large number of calls, Hotline workers are instructed to handle
calls eciently and quickly. All Hotline calls are audiotaped for purposes of
quality assurance. You will be asked to provide the following information:
• Name, address and age of victim(s)
• Name and address of parent(s)/caretaker(s) and siblings
• Relationship of caretaker(s) to victim(s)
• Details of the abuse, including specics of the incident(s),
location and severity of injuries, any pattern of neglect or abuse, and
any physical evidence.
• Any explanation provided by the child
• Any other relevant information that would expedite the investigation,
such as directions to the victim’s house (especially in rural areas) or
information about potential risks to the investigator.
SCR Hotline
Procedures
24
e Hotline worker will use the SCR computer system to determine if there
are any pending investigations on the family or any reports which have
been “indicated” previously since this information is critical to an accurate
assessment of risk.
If the Hotline worker does not accept your call as a report, you will be
informed of that fact and given the reason. Most oen the explanation will
relate to DCFS’ legal jurisdiction or to the evaluation of risk of harm to the
child. If you disagree with the conclusions of the Hotline worker, you may ask
to speak with a Hotline supervisor. Explain the details of the case situation,
the reasons you were given for the report being refused, and why you think
the worker’s assessment was inaccurate.
If the Hotline worker does not take a report, the information is entered into
the computer data system, reviewed and either approved or caused to be
turned into a report by a Hotline supervisor. Calls from mandated reporters
which do not result in a report being taken are maintained on le for six
months at SCR. If a report is not taken, the Hotline worker will oen refer
you to the police (for investigation of a crime outside DCFS mandates).
If a report is taken by the Hotline worker, an investigation will normally be
initiated within 24 hours. As a mandated reporter, you should supply a
written conrmation of your verbal report within 48 hours. You may access
the forms (CANTS 4 or 5) on the DCFS website at: http://www2.illinois.
gov/dcfs/aboutus/notices/pages/com_communications_forms.aspx. If you
do not have access to the internet, please contact the local DCFS eld oce
for assistance in obtaining copies of the forms. Your written conrmation
may be used as evidence in any judicial proceeding that results from the
incident.
When a Call Floor Worker receives information from a mandated reporter
and the information reported to the Hotline does not meet the requirements
under ANCRA for an investigation, and there is a prior indicated report of
abuse or neglect, or there is a prior open service case involving any member
of the household, a CWS referral will be completed.
If the family refuses to cooperate or refuses access to the home or children,
then a child protective services investigation shall be initiated, if the facts
otherwise meet the criteria to accept a report.
A report received by the Department alleging the abuse or neglect of a child
by a person who is not the child’s parent, a member of the child’s immediate
family, a person responsible for the child’s welfare, an individual residing
in the same home as the child, or a paramour of the child’s parent shall
immediately be referred to the appropriate local law enforcement agency for
consideration of criminal investigation or other action. [325 ILCS 5/7]
What if I do not
agree with the
Hotline worker
about whether a
report should
be taken?
What happens if a
report is taken?
Referrals
Child Welfare
Services (CWS)
referrals
Response to request
for child welfare
services
Referrals to local
law enforcement
agencies and State
Attorney’s Oce
25
Notication to law
enforcement
When a Call Floor Worker receives information from a Non-Law
Enforcement Reporter where a child is alleged to have been abused or
neglected, but the alleged perpetrator of the abuse or neglect does not
meet the criteria as an eligible perpetrator under ANCRA, the information
reported to the Hotline meets the requirement for the Hotline to complete
an immediate referral to Local Law Enforcement. A perpetrator is ineligible
when he/she is:
• Not the child’s parent
• Not an immediate family member
• Not a person responsible for the child’s welfare
• Not an individual residing in the same home as the child
• Not a paramour of the child’s parent
Per the assessment, the Call Floor Worker will write up a No Report Taken
Intake (NRT) and complete a CANTS 25A form. e Call Floor Worker will
document at the end of the NRT narrative that a CANTS 25A was completed
and name the Local Law Enforcement Agency notied.
Note: If a child is assessed with immediate safety concerns and the caller is
not a law enforcement professional, the Call Floor Worker will contact local
law enforcement for assistance and request an immediate Child Welfare
Check to the child’s reported location.
26
How DCFS
Investigates
Reports
When a Hotline intake worker takes a report, the information from the
reporter is entered into the DCFS computer database system and sent
electronically to the DCFS eld oce responsible for the area in which the
child resides. An investigator from DCFS’ Division of Child Protection
then attempts to make contact with the victim within 24 hours. If there is
a possibility that the family may ee or if the immediate well-being of the
child is endangered, an investigation will commence immediately. Aer the
initial contact, if a child is determined not to be at immediate risk, further
investigative contacts may be delayed for a few days, or even weeks in some
parts of the state. Local oces must assess the degree of risk and balance it
against their existing caseloads.
Serious allegations have a requirement that the local law enforcement agency
and/or the State’s Attorney be notied of the report as a possible criminal act.
ese allegations include, but are not limited to:
Death Sexually transmitted diseases
Burns Sexual penetration
Bone fractures Sexual exploitation
Head injuries Sexual molestation
Internal injuries Failure to thrive (infants) (State’s Attorney only)
Wounds Medical neglect of disabled infants
Torture Malnutrition
Additionally child protection supervisors are required to notify law
enforcement when the following circumstances are present:
• When a child is hospitalized for injuries or conditions suspected to be the
result of abuse or neglect by a primary caregiver and there is a concurrent
law enforcement and child protection investigation;
• When a case involves domestic violence and/or drug abuse/misuse, all law
enforcement agencies with jurisdiction (i.e. local police, sheri, Illinois
State Police) must be notied;
• Aer contact with a family during which illegal drugs were observed;
• When a suspected child victim of abuse has suered second, third or
fourth degree burns.
For cases of sexual abuse and serious physical abuse, most counties have
established protocols for handling the investigation. Many counties
have established Children’s Advocacy Centers or special child-friendly
interviewing rooms for coordinating the contacts with child abuse victims
and their families in ways that assist the investigative eorts of DCFS and law
enforcement agencies.
27
All investigations of abuse and neglect require that the DCFS Child
Protection Specialist contacts the mandated reporter. is contact will verify
information that was documented by the Hotline worker and obtain any
additional information that you may have about the case. Usually, the Child
Protection Specialist will contact you soon aer the report is led, especially if
the child can be contacted through you. is is particularly likely when school
personnel or day care workers make the allegation or when medical personnel
report suspected abuse or neglect in the case of a child who is hospitalized.
However, in cases in which the risk of harm to the child is not judged to be
severe, the Child Protection Specialist may not contact the mandated reporter
for some time aer the initial allegation is made. For this reason, you may
nd it helpful to keep notes on each report you make.
In a small percentage of cases, the Child Protection Specialist may determine
aer the initial contact with the child that there is no validity to the report.
Aer contacting the reporter and the alleged perpetrator, this kind of
investigation is terminated and determined to be “Unfounded”. e majority
of reports require more investigation than this and are termed “Formal”
investigations. In these cases the Child Protection Specialist will contact
the alleged victim, the mandated reporter, the alleged perpetrator, non-
involved parents/caretakers, other adults living in the home, siblings, and
other collateral sources. ere are some instances in which Child Protection
Specialists will not be able to contact all the parties in an investigation, but
will document their “good faith” eorts to meet this requirement.
When beginning an investigation of a Hotline reports, the Child Protection
Specialist must conduct a safety assessment immediately following the rst
contact with the child. If safety concerns are identied, the Child Protection
Specialist must work with the family to develop and implement a “safety
plan” in order for the child to remain at home. e safety plan may include
temporary alternate living arrangements for the alleged perpetrator, family
members or for the alleged child victim. An alternate living arrangement
for the child as part of a safety plan is voluntarily agreed to by parents/
caretakers to ensure the child’s immediate safety during the early stages of
an investigation. If safety alternatives are not available, DCFS may assume
temporary protective custody of the child.
Child Protection Specialists may also talk with other family members,
potential witnesses, or professionals to obtain additional relevant information.
As a mandated reporter, you may be able to suggest others with information
about the allegation to the Child Protection Specialist. In addition, Child
Protection Specialists will coordinate with police who may be conducting a
related, but separate investigation. is happens when it is likely the State’s
Attorney will press criminal charges against the alleged perpetrator of the
abuse.
Who else will be
contacted by
investigators?
Will I, as a
mandated reporter,
be contacted by
investigators?
28
Should I contact
anyone, such as
parents, aer I
make a report?
State law does not require that the mandated reporter notify parents of the
report. ere are various opinions among mandated reporters/professionals
on this question, so you should use your best professional judgment and abide
by any policies that have been established by your institution. However, it is
oen a dicult decision whether or not to tell the parents/caretakers that you
have made a report.
On the side of notifying the parents, some mandated reporters/professionals
point to the positive eect of maintaining open communication with the
parents. Ethical considerations if the reporter is a counselor, mental health
therapist, or physician may require sharing the necessity to report with the
clients. e parents or child may know (or guess) who made the report
anyway, and the reporter may nd that long-term trust will be served by
being open with parents about the necessity of reporting suspicion of abuse or
neglect. Some investigators suggest that their job is a little easier if the parents
already understand why they have been reported.
On the other hand, some mandated reporters/professionals suggest that
notifying the parents, especially when one or both are suspected of being
the perpetrators of the abuse or neglect, may increase their anxiety
needlessly, leading to avoidant or hostile behavior. Telling might give them
time to cover up evidence of the abuse or neglect and put pressure on the
children to change the story or prevent further disclosures. Some reporters
are particularly concerned about the possibility of retribution against the
children combined with the improved ability of the perpetrators to avoid
detection by DCFS. e child’s safety should always be an important factor in
deciding whether or not to inform the parent of your report.
For allegations of physical abuse, the supporting evidence is the physical
harm to the child. While some physical abuse may result in no visible physical
harm (internal injuries, bruising on the bottom of the feet), the presence of
an injury may be needed to nd credible evidence of abuse. As a mandated
reporter, it will be very important to note any readily visible evidence of
physical injury to the child or any pattern of abuse observed over a period of
time.
You should note:
• location of the injury
• severity of the injury
• patterns and chronicity of similar injuries over time.
What evidence
is needed to
indicate a report?
Physical Abuse
Investigations
29
Mandated reporters may nd it easier to use a body chart to record the
location and nature (e.g., cuts, welts, burns, bruises, broken bones, etc) of a
child’s injury. Body charts can be obtained from the local DCFS eld oce
or a medical facility. A photograph can also be an important part of the
documentation of a child’s injury, however photographs of a child’s injury
should only be taken by a DCFS Child Protection Specialist, a medical
professional or law enforcement. Note: Non-medical reporters should not
undress a child to view injuries.
In addition to your observations of the injury, your statement concerning
what the child said about the alleged incident is important. Again, it is helpful
to make careful notes, using verbatim statements of the child whenever
possible. Injuries that are the result of accidents do not have to be reported
unless you have reason to believe the child’s explanation is inconsistent with
the injury.
Not all incidents resulting in physical injury are considered abuse. ere are
several factors that will be taken into account by Child Protection Specialists
in deciding whether or not to indicate a report of physical abuse. e factors,
related to specic allegations, include consideration of:
• the child’s age (younger children are viewed as being at a greater risk of
harm);
• the child’s medical condition; behavioral, mental, or emotional problems;
developmental disability; or physical handicap, particularly if these
interfere with the child’s ability to protect himself/herself;
• pattern or chronicity of similar incidents;
• severity of the occurrence;
• location of the injury;
• evidence that an instrument was used to inict the injury;
• the dynamics of the relationship between the victim and the alleged
perpetrator;
• alleged perpetrator’s access to the child; and/or
• previous history of abuse/neglect.
30
ese factors are considered by Child Protection Specialists and represent
ways of trying to assess the degree of risk of further harm to the child.
Sexual abuse investigations are oen more complex than investigations of
physical abuse. Sexual abuse of children can include acts that leave little
or no physical evidence. Fondling children (over or under clothing) and
exploitation (such as making children watch sexual acts) may leave no
physical evidence at all. Most sexual abuse is conducted in secrecy, and
children are frequently cajoled, bribed, or threatened into silence by the
perpetrators of the abuse. Witnesses are seldom available to corroborate the
abuse. erefore, determining credible evidence in sexual abuse cases usually
depends heavily on the testimony of the victim.
A child’s disclosure of sexual abuse is an important event in the subsequent
investigation of the case, and it must be handled with sensitivity. For younger
children, the telling of the abuse may happen accidentally, slipping out
in conversation with another child or adult. But for many children, the
disclosure is painfully deliberate. A mandated reporter who suspects that a
child is struggling to communicate information about sexual abuse needs
to observe the child closely and listen attentively while maintaining a calm
and neutral demeanor. e child may be hesitant to continue if the adult
expresses shock or anger either through verbal responses or facial reactions.
Children are likely to feel embarrassment about disclosing sexual abuse
and may disguise their involvement by saying the abuse happened to a
friend or sibling. Finding a more private setting for following up with some
observations (i.e. “Your friend must be feeling confused and upset by what is
happening to her”) may allow the child to relax and give a fuller disclosure.
A report of sexual abuse is frequently handled by a team of special
investigators—one from DCFS and one from the police. More than 60
counties in Illinois are served by Children’s Advocacy Centers that provide
specially trained personnel to interview alleged victims of sexual abuse. ese
interviewers, DCFS Child Protection Specialists, and juvenile ocers are
skilled in the techniques of talking with children about stressful topics, and
they know how to gather information in a thorough and non-traumatizing
way. Interviewers are specially trained to cover all possibilities as to what has
happened.
Sexual Abuse
Investigations
31
Just as in physical abuse investigations, there are several critical factors that
Child Protection Specialists take into account when deciding whether or not
to indicate a report of sexual abuse. ese factors are:
• alleged victim’s testimony, especially if:
a. testimony is detailed;
b. testimony reveals experience or knowledge beyond
age or developmental levels;
c. testimony provides information that can be
corroborated.
• the alleged perpetrator’s testimony, especially if there
is a confession;
• physical evidence, especially in cases of sexual
penetration of young victims;
• behavioral indicators of abuse, especially if the behaviors
represent marked changes in normal behavior for the child; and/or
• corroboration of elements of the victim’s testimony by
credible witnesses.
In a signicant number of cases, the decision to indicate or unfound a case
comes down to weighing the testimony of an alleged victim describing the
sexual abuse and the testimony of an alleged perpetrator denying it. In these
cases, the credibility of the alleged victim’s testimony is critically important.
It is critical that the mandated reporter pay very careful attention to the
disclosure of the abuse by the victim.
Reporters should concentrate on taking very careful notes about what
the victim discloses voluntarily. Every detail of the incident is potentially
important. Such things as the time and place of the incident, the identity
of the alleged perpetrator, and any potential witnesses or others told of the
incident are critical pieces of information and may assist Child Protection
Specialists in getting enough evidence to indicate the report and implement
protection of the child.
In general, the mandated reporter who hears a child’s disclosure should not
encourage the victim to disclose additional information beyond what is given
voluntarily. Further questioning may result in traumatizing the victim still
further. In some instances, a mandated reporter will need to ask a clarifying
question or two if a child’s statement seems vague or lacking in detail. For
example, a child may say “My mommy touched me there” (indicating the
genital area). Further questions posed to the child (“Where were you when
this happened?” and “What was mommy doing?”) may reveal the mother
touched the child with a washcloth in bathing the child. Or a parent may take
a young boy to the doctor for an injury on the end of his penis. A concerned
doctor will want to ask the parent and the child, separately, a question like
“How did this happen?” or “What was it that hurt your penis?” e questions
might reveal that the child pinched himself on his tricycle and no report
would need to be made. On the other hand, the child and parent may have
diering versions of what happened or the child could indicate that some
person pinched him or bit him. e latter explanations would warrant a call
to the Hotline.
32
Medical reporters may be able to provide critical information about any
physical evidence of sexual abuse. If females receive a physical examination
that reveals evidence of sexual penetration, especially in children not
expected to be sexually active, this evidence is extremely valuable in
investigation. All physical evidence, for any alleged victim, should be noted
carefully and conveyed both to the Hotline worker and to the DCFS Child
Protection Specialist.
ese investigations can sometimes be among the most dicult for DCFS
Child Protection Specialists because there are many areas subject to
individual interpretation. Illinois law focuses on the minimum parenting
standards required to provide for the basic physical needs of children. ese
may dier signicantly from community standards. Accordingly, one must
return again to the question of what is the harm, or potential harm, to the
child.
Child Protection Specialists attempting to determine whether or not a child
has been neglected must verify:
• that an incident of neglect has occurred;
• that there is evidence that parents/caretakers have not
fullled their responsibilities to provide for the child’s
basic needs; and
• that the neglect is serious enough, if it continues, to
result in moderate to severe harm to the child.
Investigations of neglect allegations require that Child Protection Specialists
get information about the child’s environment. is includes the availability
of resources in the household to meet the child’s needs and the attitudes of
the parents or caretakers toward their responsibilities to provide for the child.
For this reason, mandated reporters who call in allegations of neglect should
know not only specic instances of neglect but should also note evidence
that the alleged neglect either harmed the child or had the potential to cause
serious harm to the child.
e factors that inuence the outcome of neglect investigations:
• the child’s age, developmental stage, and/or special needs;
• the severity, frequency, duration of the conditions; and
• the pattern of similar incidents.
Evidence provided by the mandated reporter relating to any of these factors
is extremely valuable. Again, it is helpful to question the child thoroughly
enough to elicit as many relevant details as possible. In some problem
situations, reporters may want to contact the parents to discuss the problem
before assessing whether neglect is a real issue.
Neglect
Investigations
33
During an investigation, the DCFS Child Protection Specialists gather
information about the specic allegation(s) of harm to the child. At the
end of that process, the Child Protection Specialist must determine if the
report is “indicated” or “unfounded”. e standard of proof is “credible
evidence”, a lower standard than that required for any judicial procedure.
e lower standard of proof allows DCFS to serve families and protect
children in many situations that could not be proven using the higher law
enforcement or judicial standards. DCFS can indicate the case if the Child
Protection Specialist nds that there is credible evidence that the perpetrator
committed the abuse or neglect. If credible evidence is lacking, the case will
be unfounded.
When Child Protection Specialists establish that there is credible evidence
to support the allegation of abuse or neglect, the case is “indicated” and the
information is entered into the department’s central computer system. is
means that any further inquiry or allegation involving either the victim or
the perpetrator which comes into the Hotline will reference the indicated
nding(s), unless the legally-established retention period for the indicated
report has expired (325 ILCS 5/7.12) or the indicated nding has been
overturned by an administrative hearing (325 ILCS 5/7.16). In addition,
where it is appropriate, DCFS workers will suggest services to stabilize the
family and to protect the child. A family has the right to refuse such services.
If the caseworker believes that such a refusal jeopardizes the child’s welfare
and safety, the worker may le a neglect or abuse petition in the Juvenile
Court.
ere are many services that are available to families with an indicated
nding of child abuse. e parent(s) may receive counseling or assistance in
developing parenting or homemaking skills. Parents with substance abuse
problems or with diculty in controlling their emotions may receive referrals
to specialized agencies. When harm or risk to the child is so severe that the
child cannot be le in the parents’ care safely, the child may be placed in a
foster home or with relatives while attempts to rehabilitate the family are
undertaken.
It is the department’s legal mandate to give rst priority to the safety and
protection of the child. But the department is also obligated under law to
stabilize and preserve the family so that the child may be returned home
under improved circumstances. Balancing these considerations requires
considerable judgment and eort by the department and its sta.
Indicated Cases
What happens as a
result of the
investigation?
34
Unfounded Cases
Retention of
Reports
Multidisciplinary
Review
When a child who is attending a public school is an indicated victim of
physical or sexual abuse perpetrated by a member of his or her family, the
State Central Register (SCR) will forward a copy of the condential case
investigative summary to the child’s school where it will be maintained in
accordance with the Illinois School Student Records Act. e SCR shall
provide instructions to the school that the investigative summary is to be
returned to the department when the child turns 18 years of age or ve years
aer the nal nding date, whichever occurs rst. e school will also receive
notication from the SCR to return the investigative summary if the nding is
overturned on appeal by the Administrative Hearings Unit.
e parents will also receive SCR notication of the department’s legal
requirement to notify the school of the indicated abuse report.
All reports that receive a nal nding determination of “Unfounded” shall be
retained in the SCR database for no less than 5 years.
Multidisciplinary Review
Mandated reporters will receive notication from the State Central Register
that a report is “unfounded.” If the mandated reporter disagrees with this
nding, he or she may request a review of the investigation within 10 days of
being notied. e steps to take in requesting such a review will be described
in the notication letter.
Additional information from the mandated reporter that supports a
reconsideration of the case must be sent to the Administrator of the State
Central Register. e investigative le will be reviewed in light of the new
information and may be referred to the Statewide Compliance Administrator
for further recommendations.
Professionals working with children may become the subject of a report as
they are considered either “a person responsible for the child’s welfare” or a
“person who came to know the child through an ocial capacity or position
of trust”. (325 ILCS 5/3) While there are some special procedures which
apply, the general requirements of the investigation and the standards for
making a determination of “indicated” or “unfounded” are the same as for
anyone else. When a licensed professional such as a physician, school teacher,
or day care provider is indicated as a perpetrator of child abuse or neglect, the
agency responsible for licensing and regulating that profession is notied. e
employers and the regulatory agencies determine what steps should be taken
according to their internal disciplinary processes.
e State Central Register shall send notication to the Director of Public
Health and to the Director of Healthcare and Family Services any time
a report is received alleging a child has been abused or neglected while
receiving care in a hospital, including a freestanding psychiatric hospital
licensed by the Department of Public Health. A notication of nal
ndings shall be sent to the Director of Public Health and to the Director of
Healthcare and Family Services by the State Central Register upon receipt of
notication from the assigned Child Protection Specialist.
Indicated Victims
of
Physical or
Sexual Abuse
Attending Public
Schools
Notication to
Public Health and
Healthcare and
Family Services
What happens
when a professional
or a child care
facility is involved
as the perpetrator
in an indicated
nding of child
abuse?
35
Are perpetrators in
indicated cases
of abuse ever
prosecuted?
e decision to prosecute a case in the criminal court system is a process
distinct and separate from DCFS. e focus of law enforcement involvement
is on prosecution of a criminal act while that of DCFS is on services to protect
children. While information is oen shared back and forth, the responsibility
for prosecution rests with the police and State’s Attorney. e State’s Attorney
must decide that enough evidence of criminal activity is present to pursue
an indictment or issue a warrant for arrest. is will be followed by a trial at
which the prosecutor (State’s Attorney) will have to present evidence to a jury
or judge to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the legal standards for the
criminal oense have been met. It is important to note that the standards for
indicating a report by DCFS are dierent and much less stringent than the
legal standards for prosecution.
By law, DCFS must notify both police and the state’s attorney of serious
physical abuse and sexual abuse reports. Sometimes, DCFS and law
enforcement ocials cooperate on an investigation; but in other cases their
investigations may be independent and parallel. As a mandated reporter,
you should not be surprised to be contacted by both DCFS and the police
investigating an allegation of abuse, especially if the allegation is particularly
serious and criminal prosecution may result. ere is a growing emphasis on
a multi-disciplinary investigation and tracking of these cases, particularly in
counties served by a Children’s Advocacy Center.
In addition, regional Child Death Review Teams formed in 1995 are
mandated to review child deaths in situations where the deceased child
1. is a ward of DCFS; 2) has an open service case with DCFS;
2. is the subject of a pending child abuse or neglect investigation;
3. has been the subject of a child abuse or neglect investigation during the
prior 12 months; or 5) is reported to the Hotline for abuse or neglect and
the report is subsequently indicated.
4. has been the subject of a child abuse or neglect investigation during the
prior 12 months; or
5. is reported to the Hotline for abuse or neglect and the report is
subsequently indicated
36
In what
circumstances
are children
removed
from their
families as a
result of abuse
allegations?
e Department of Children and Family Services has a statutory mandate
to make a special eort to stabilize and preserve families that are involved in
child abuse or neglect allegations. e Department uses its own child welfare
sta and private agencies to provide a variety of services to help the family
survive and to change patterns of abusive or neglectful behavior. ese eorts
are based on experience that shows that some children, even in abusive or
neglectful situations, may do better when kept with their families than when
they are placed in foster care. e services provided include such things as:
• service referrals and linkages
• housing assistance
• substance abuse assessment and treatment
• homemaking assistance and training
• parenting education and support
• limited nancial assistance
• mental health and family counseling
• day care or respite care
Of the more than one million hotline calls received over the past four years,
about one in four resulted in a formal report and an investigation. When
formal investigations do occur, only four percent result in children being
removed from their homes. Children can be removed only when the Child
Protection Specialist believes they are unsafe if le in the home. If children
are taken into temporary protective custody, this decision must be reviewed
by the juvenile court within two working days.
e goal in most cases is to return children to their homes as soon as it is
safe to do so. Sometimes, however, the children are not able to return home
due to serious and ongoing circumstances that threaten their safety. In these
cases, the Department works with the parents and with extended family
members to formulate other permanency plans for the children. Many of
these are cases where the Department, together with the Juvenile Court,
will pursue procedures for the child’s adoption. is occurs aer a period of
time in which the family has the opportunity to demonstrate a signicant
improvement.
What are child
welfare services, and
what do they have to
do with child abuse
investigations?
37
Will I nd out
what decisions
are made in cases I
reported?
Conclusion
Mandated reporters receive a letter informing them of the nding in cases
they reported. e only information that you will receive will be the nding
— indicated or unfounded. Other information, about the case (e.g. removing
the children from the family) will not be included in that letter, but mandated
reporters can receive information on actions taken to ensure the child’s safety
by submitting a notarized written request to the SCR Administrator. Also,
under new provisions in 325 ILCS 5/8.6, nal nding reports on indicated
investigations of a child’s physical or sexual abuse will be forwarded to the
child’s public school and maintained as “condential” information in the
child’s student record.
Other specic information about the report cannot be released. is is oen
frustrating to the mandated reporter who has a professional interest in the
child’s welfare. is is another instance in which the department has to
balance the right of the family to privacy against the professional interests and
obligations of mandated reporters.
◆ ◆ ◆
Professionals working with children fulll three distinct roles in protecting
children from abuse and neglect. In your professional role:
• You may be the rst to notice signs of abuse and neglect and will
function as a mandated reporter in calling the Hotline to report your
observations;
• You may be contacted as a collateral resource, one who
may have information relating to an allegation under
investigation;
• In ongoing contacts with the child, you may monitor the safety and
welfare of a child in an indicated report, sharing information with
the caseworker or making another report if there is a new incident.
e responsibility for protecting our children rests with the entire community.
e general public and professionals working in specic disciplines have a
unique role in ensuring the safety of our children and the strengthening of
our families.
e Department of Children and Family Services hopes that this manual has
answered some of your questions and has made you feel more comfortable
with the responsibility and process of acting as a mandated reporter. While
general procedures have been outlined, there are still some local variances
that you may encounter. If you have additional questions, call your local
DCFS oce and ask for the child protection supervisor. is person is
available to provide additional training and information.
38
Web-based
Resources
Appendices
Web-based Resources:
DCFS website - Home Page
http://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs
DCFS website – Child Protection
http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/cPleahild/index.shtml
DCFS website – Policy and Rules
http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/policy/index.shtml
DCFS website – Policy & Rules – Laws (including ANCRA)
http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/policy/pr_policy_laws.shtml
DCFS website – Additional Resources
http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/l_links.shtml
Illinois General Assembly website - ANCRA
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.
asp?ActID=1460&ChapterID=32.
Appendix A: Instructions for Accessing the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act
Appendix B: Checklist for Mandated Reporters
Appendix C: DCFS Allegations System
Appendix D: Reporting Forms
39
Appendix A
Instructions for Accessing the
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act
(ANCRA)
(325 ILCS 5/1)
A copy of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act may be accessed by
going to the Internet at the following link:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1460&ChapterID=32
If you do not have access to the Internet, you may also access the site at
your local library. However, if you still cannot access an electronic copy of
ANCRA, you may contact the Oce of Child and Family Policy
at 217-524-1983 for assistance.
40
Appendix B
Checklist for Mandated Reporters
I. Alleged Victim(s)
Name(s) of victim(s):
Birth date(s) of victim(s) or approximate age:
Address (or approximate address):
II. Alleged Perpetrator(s)
Name(s)
Birth date(s) or Age(s) or some approximation so role of DCFS
can be determined
Relationship to Victim(s)
Address
III. Harms to Victim(s)
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Risk of Harm
Neglect
Death
NOTE: e Hotline worker will be able to put the allegation in the proper
sub-category such as Physical Abuse/Cuts, Bruises, and Welts.
IV. Description of Incident(s)
Be prepared to give a brief description of the incident(s) of abuse/ne-
glect. is description should include:
1. as much detail as you have about the actual incident
2. indication of intention (especially in physical abuse)
3. description of the time and place of the incident
4. information, if any, about possible witnesses to the abuse/neglect
5. evidence of abuse (physical evidence, behavioral indicators, disclo-
sure by the victim, etc.)
6. evidence of neglect (disclosure by the victim, observations, etc.)
V. Date and time of when Hotline call is made
• Name of Hotline worker taking the call
• What action, if any, will be taken by DCFS
• Intake ID number (provided by the hotline worker)
41
Appendix C
DCFS Allegations System
You will note that some allegations (e.g. death of a child) may be made under
either abuse or neglect, depending on the circumstances that led to harm to
the child. As a mandated reporter, you will not need to know all the alle-
gations, but they are presented here to give you an idea of how the Hotline
worker will try to categorize the harm you describe.
Abuse Neglect
#1 Death #51 Death
#2 Head Injuries #52 Head Injuries
#4 Internal Injuries #54 Internal Injuries
#5 Burns #55 Burns
#6 Poison/Noxious Substances #56 Poison/Noxious Substances
#7 Wounds #57 Wounds
#9 Bone Fractures #59 Bone Fractures
#10 Substantial Risk of Physical #60 Substantial Risk of Physical
Injury/Environment Injurious Injury/Environment Injurious
to Health and Welfare to Health and Welfare
#11 Cuts, Bruises, Welts, #61 Cuts, Bruises, Welts,
Abrasions & Oral Injuries Abrasions & Oral Injuries
#12 Human Bites #62 Human Bites
#13 Sprains/Dislocations #63 Sprains/Dislocations
#14 Tying/Close Connement ________
#15 Substance Misuse #65 Substance Misuse
#16 Torture ________
#17 Mental and Emotional #67 Mental and Emotional
Impairment Impairment
42
#18 Sexually Transmitted Diseases ________
#19 Sexual Penetration ________
#20 Sexual Exploitation ________
#21 Sexual Molestation ________
#22 Substantial Risk of Sexual Injury ________
is allegation has four (4) options that qualify as a substantial risk of sexual injury and are as follows:
Option A
An indicated, registered, or convicted sex oender has access to a child and the extent/qualify of supervision
during contact is believed to be inadequate for the child’s protection;
Option B
ere are siblings or other children the perpetrator has regular access to and there is a current (pending)
allegation of sexual abuse;
Option C
Persistent, highly sexualized behavior or knowledge in a very young child (e.g., under the age of ve
chronologically or developmentally) that is grossly age inappropriate and there is reasonable cause to believe
that the most likely manner the behavior was learned is in having been sexually abused.
Option D
A member of the household has engaged in child pornography activities outside and/or inside the residence,
including the making and/or distribution of child pornography, and has signicant access to children and the
extent/quality of the supervision of those children is unknown or suspected to be decient.
#40 Human Tracking of Children #90 Human Tracking of Children
________ #74 Inadequate Supervision
________ #75 Abandonment/Desertion
________ #76 Inadequate Food
________ #77 Inadequate Shelter
________ #78 Inadequate Clothing
________ #79 Medical Neglect
________ #81 Failure to rive (non-organic)
________ #82 Environmental Neglect
________ #83 Malnutrition (non-organic)
________ #84 Lock-out
________ #85 Medical Neglect of Disabled
Infants
#86 Neglect by Agency
NOTE: DCFS no longer takes reports on Educational Neglect which was formerly listed as a
neglect allegation.
DCFS no longer takes reports on Lack of Immunizations, which was formerly a form
of medical neglect.
(MAILING INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE SIDE)
Appendix D
CANTS 4
10/00
State of Illinois
Department of Children and Family Services
WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT REPORT:
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
NOTE: Hospitals and medical personnel engaged in examination, care, and treatment of persons are required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act to
report to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services all suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. e Act provides that anyone participating in
this report shall be presumed to be acting in good faith and in so doing shall be immune from liability, civil or criminal, that otherwise might be incurred or
imposed.
Child’s Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________
Sex ______________ Age ______________
Address ___________________________________ ___________________________ ____________ ______________________
(Street) (City) (Zip) (County)
Parent’s/Custodian’s Name _____________________________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________ ___________________________ ____________ ______________________
(Street) (City) (Zip) (County)
Where rst seen __________________________________________________ Date ____________________________________
Brought In by ____________________________________________________ Relationship ______________________________
Nature of child’s condition:
Evidence of previous suspected abuse(s)/neglect:
Reporter’s immediate plan for child including whereabouts:
Remarks:
Person presumed to have abused/neglected child:
❑ Father ❑ Mother ❑ Stepfather ❑ Stepmother ❑ Sibling ❑ Other __________________
PERSON MAKING REPORT
__________________________________________________________________
Name (Please Print)
__________________________________________________________________
Medical Facility
__________________________________________________________________
Address
__________________________________________________________________
Date
PERSON MAKING REPORT (Check Appropriate Box)
❑ Attending Physician ❑ Podiatrist
❑ Surgeon ❑ Chiropractor
❑ Hospital Administrator ❑ Christian Science Practitioner
❑ Medical Examiner ❑ Social Worker
❑ Coroner ❑ Social Services Administrator
❑ Registered Nurse ❑ Registered Psychologist
❑ Licensed Practical Nurse ❑ Psychiatrist
❑ Dentist ❑ Advanced Practice Nurse
❑ Osteopath ❑ Other ________________________
Signature ________________________________________________________
INSTRUCTIONS
e Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act states that any hospital, clinic or private facility to which a child comes or is brought suering
from injury, physical abuse or neglect apparently inicted upon him, other than by accidental means, shall promptly report or cause reports
to be made in accordance with provisions of the Act.
e report should be made immediately by telephone to the IDCFS Child Abuse Hotline (800-252-2873) and conrmed in
writing via the U.S. Mail, postage prepaid, within 48 hours of the initial report.
is form is provided for the convenience of the hospital, clinic or private facility in making the written report. A form must
be completed for each child.
Enter the full name of the child, sex, age and address. Give the rst and last names of the parents or persons having custody of
the child. If the address is the same as that of the child, indicate by “same.”
Where rst seen: Give the date the child was rst seen; indicate if in-patient, clinic, emergency room, doctor’s oce or anoth-
er specied place within the hospital, and by whom the child was brought in.
Nature of the child’s condition and evidence of previous suspected abuse(s)/neglect: Self-explanatory.
Reporter’s plan for child: Indicate whether child is to remain in the hospital and for how long, or be released and, if so, to
whom. State any other pertinent information as to the plan.
Remarks: If a report was also made to a local law enforcement agency, state to which agency report was made. Include any
additional information deemed appropriate to the case.
Give the name of the Attending Physician, name and address of the hospital, if report is from the hospital.
Signature: e report is to be signed by the person making the report.
MAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Mail the original to the nearest oce of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Attention: Child Protective
Services
DCFS is an equal opportunity employer, and
prohibits unlawful discrimination in all of
its programs and/or services.
DATE: ________________________________________________
ABOUT: _______________________________________________ ________________________________________________
Child’s Name Child’s Birthdate
If you are reporting more than one child from the same family please list their names and birth date in the space provided on the reverse
side of this form.
__________________________________________________________ __________________________________ _________________
Street Address City Zip Code
Parent/Custodians: _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address (if dierent than the child’s address)
(INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE SIDE)
State of Illinois
Department of Children and Family Services
WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT REPORT:
MANDATED REPORTERS
is is to conrm my oral report of ____________________________ , ____________ , made in accordance with the
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5 et seq). Please answer the following questions. (If you need more space, use the back of
this page.)
1. What injuries or signs of abuse/neglect are there?
2. How and approximately when did the abuse/neglect occur and how did you become aware of the abuse/neglect?
3. Had there been evidence of abuse/neglect before now? ❑ Yes ❑ No
4. If the answer to question 3 is "yes," please explain the nature of the abuse/neglect.
5. Names and addresses of other persons who may be willing to provide information about this case.
6. Your relationship to child(ren):
7. Reporter Action Recommended or Taken:
CANTS 5
Rev. 10/00
PLEASE CHECK THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE:
❑ I saw the child(ren)
❑ I heard about the child(ren) From whom?_______________________________________________________________
I ❑ have ❑ have not told the child’s family of my concern and of my report to the department.
I am ❑ willing ❑ NOT willing to tell the child’s family of my concern and of my report to the department.
I ❑ believe ❑ do NOT believe the child is in immediate physical danger.
________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
(Name Printed) (Signature)
________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
(Title) (Organization/Agency)
INSTRUCTIONS
e Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act states that mandated reporters shall promptly report or cause reports to be made in
accordance with the provisions of the ACT.
e report should be made immediately by telephone to the IDCFS Child Abuse Hotline (800-252-2873) and conrmed in
writing via the U.S. Mail, postage prepaid, within 48 hours of the initial report.
MAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Mail the original to the nearest oce of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Attention: Child Protective Services.
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
2
nd
Child’s Name (If Any) 2
nd
Child’s Birth Date
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
3
rd
Child’s Name (If Any) 3
rd
Child’s Birth Date
DCFS is an equal opportunity employer, and
prohibits unlawful discrimination in all of its
programs and/or services.
47
Office of the Director
406 E. Monroe Street •
•
Springfield, Illinois 62701
www.DCFS.illinois.gov
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MANDATED REPORTER STATUS
I, , understand that when I am employed as a
(Employee Name)
, I will become a mandated reporter under the
(Type of Employment)
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act [325 ILCS 5/4]. This means that I am required to report or cause a
report to be made to the child abuse and neglect Hotline number at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873)
whenever I have reasonable cause to believe that a child known to me in my professional or official capacity
may be abused or neglected. I understand that there is no charge when calling the Hotline number and that the
Hotline operates 24-hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
I understand that in an effort to help mandated reporters understand their critical role in protecting children by
recognizing and reporting child abuse/neglect, DCFS administers an online training course entitled
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters, available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
I further understand that the privileged quality of communication between me and my patient or client is not
grounds for failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect, I know that if I willfully fail to report suspected
child abuse or neglect, I may be found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. This does not apply to physicians who
will be referred to the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Board for action.
I also understand that if I am subject to licensing under, but not limited to, the following acts: the Illinois
Nursing Act of 1987, the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Illinois Dental Practice Act, the School Code, the
Acupuncture Practice Act, the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987, the Illinois Physical Therapy Act, the
Physician Assistants Practice Act of 1987, the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Clinical Psychologist
Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice
Act, the Dietetic and Nutrition Services Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Act, the Naprapathic
Practice Act, the Respiratory Care Practice Act, the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor
Licensing Act, the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act, I may be subject to license
suspension or revocation if I willfully fail to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
I affirm that I have read this statement and have knowledge and understanding of the reporting requirements,
which apply to me under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
Signature of Applicant/Employee
Date
CANTS 22
Rev. 5/2019
49
Office of the Director
406 E. Monroe Street •
•
Springfield, Illinois 62701
www.DCFS.illinois.gov
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MANDATED REPORTER STATUS (CLERGY)
I, , understand that as a member of the clergy
(Name)
I am a mandated reporter under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act [325 ILCS 5/4]. This means
that I am required to report or cause a report to be made to the child abuse and neglect Hotline number at 1-800-
25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873) whenever I have reasonable cause to believe that a child known to me in my
professional or official capacity may be a sexually abused child. (“Reasonable cause to believe means” that the
concerned person, acting as a reasonable man or woman, believes that the described facts exist.) I understand
that there is no charge when calling the Hotline number and that the Hotline operates 24-hours per day, 7 days
per week, 365 days per year.
I understand that in an effort to help mandated reporters understand their critical role in protecting children by
recognizing and reporting child abuse/neglect, DCFS administers an online training course entitled
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters, available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
I further understand that I shall not be compelled to disclose a confession or admission made to me in my
professional character or as a spiritual advisor if I am a member of the clergy of a religious denomination that is
accredited by the religious body to which I belong.
I affirm that I have read this statement and have knowledge and understanding of the reporting requirements,
which apply to me under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
Signature of Applicant
Date
CANTS 22A
Rev 5/2019
51
Office of the Director
406 E. Monroe Street •
•
Springfield, Illinois 62701
www.DCFS.illinois.gov
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MANDATED REPORTER STATUS
I, (Foster Parent’s Name),
understand that as a licensed foster parent I am a mandated reporter under the Abused and Neglected Child
Reporting Act [325 ILCS 5/4]. This means that I am required to report or cause a report to be made to the Child
Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873) whenever I have reasonable cause to believe
that a child known to me in my foster parent capacity may be abused or neglected. I understand that there is no
charge when calling the Hotline number and that the Hotline operates 24-hours per day, 7 days per week, 365
days per year.
I understand that in an effort to help mandated reporters understand their critical role in protecting
children by recognizing and reporting child abuse/neglect, DCFS administers an online training course entitled
Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters, available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
I further understand that the privileged quality of communication I have with my foster child is not
justifiable grounds for failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect. I know that if I willfully fail to report
suspected child abuse or neglect, I may be found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and I may be subject to
license suspension or revocation.
I am aware that any person who knowingly transmits a false report commits the offense of disorderly
conduct, which is a class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation is a Class 4 felony. (This
notification concerning false reporting is required under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act)
I affirm that I have read this statement and have knowledge and understanding of the reporting
requirements, which apply to me under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
Signature of Applicant
Date
CANTS 22B
Rev. 5/2019
DCFS is an equal opportunity employer,
and prohibits unlawful discrimination in
all of its programs and/or services.
Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois
DCFS #183 – Nov 2020 – 1,500 copies
CFS 1050-21 – rev 9/22/2020
