How do you report someone to child protective services

How to Report Child Abuse and Neglect

There are ways you can help stop child maltreatment if you suspect or know that a child is being abused or neglected. If you or someone else is in immediate and serious danger, you should call 911.

You may be wondering who can report child abuse and neglect, what information is included in a report, or what happens after a report is made. On this page, find answers to your questions, as well as national and local resources that are available to provide assistance and information about reporting suspected maltreatment.

How do I report suspected child abuse or neglect?

State Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Numbers
Contact your local child protective services office or law enforcement agency.

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
Childhelp
Provides information on the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (Call or text 1.800.4.A.CHILD [1.800.422.4453]). Professional crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources.

CyberTipline
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2022)
Provides information about how to report online sexual exploitation of a child or if you suspect that a child has been inappropriately contacted online. Information will be made available to law enforcement to investigate.

Child Welfare Information Gateway is not a hotline for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect, and it is not equipped to accept reports or intervene in personal situations of this nature.

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Who can report child abuse or neglect?

Anyone can report suspected child abuse or neglect. Reporting abuse or neglect can protect a child and get help for a family.

Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect
All U.S. States and territories have laws identifying persons who are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Mandatory reporters may include social workers, teachers and other school personnel, child care providers, physicians and other health-care workers, mental health professionals, and law enforcement officers. Some States require any person who suspects child abuse or neglect to report.

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What do I report when I suspect child abuse or neglect?

Provide a complete, honest account of what you observed that led you to suspect the occurrence of child abuse or neglect. Any reasonable suspicion is sufficient.

What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms
Learn how to identify and report child abuse or neglect and refer children who may have been maltreated. This factsheet provides information on the legal definitions, different types, and signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect.

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What will happen after I make a report of child abuse or neglect?

After you make a report, it will be sent to child protective services (CPS). When CPS receives a report, the CPS worker reviews the information and determines if an investigation is needed. The CPS worker may talk with the family, the child, or others to help determine what is making the child unsafe. The CPS worker can help parents or other caregivers get services, education, or other assistance.

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State Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Numbers

Series: Related Organizations Lists

Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway

Includes State toll-free numbers and websites for specific agencies designated to receive and investigate reports of suspected child abuse and neglect.

Alabama

https://dhr.alabama.gov/child-protective-services/child-abuse-neglect-reporting/

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10441

Alaska

Toll-Free: (800) 478-4444

Email: [email protected]

https://dfcs.alaska.gov/ocs/Pages/childrensjustice/reporting/report_sa.aspx

To report via email: [email protected]

nadid: 10442

Arizona

Toll-Free: (888) SOS-CHILD (888-767-2445)

https://dcs.az.gov/

Arizona's Online Reporting Service for Mandated Reporters via secure website in non-emergency cases:https://dcs.az.gov/report-child-abuse

nadid: 10443

Arkansas

Toll-Free: (800) 482-5964

https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/

nadid: 10444

California

https://www.cdss.ca.gov/reporting/report-abuse/child-protective-services/report-child-abuse

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10445

Colorado

Phone: (303) 866-5700

Phone: 1-844-264-5437

https://cdhs. colorado.gov/our-services/child-and-family-services/child-welfare

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10446

Connecticut

Toll-Free: 1-800-842-2288

TDD: (800) 624-5518

https://portal.ct.gov/DCF/1-DCF/Reporting-Child-Abuse-and-Neglect

nadid: 10447

Delaware

Toll-Free: (800) 292-9582

https://kids.delaware.gov/contact/#hotlines

Online reporting https://kids.delaware.gov/fs/fs_iseethesigns.shtml

nadid: 10448

District of Columbia

Local (toll): (202) 671-SAFE (202-671-7233)

https://cfsa.dc.gov/service/report-child-abuse-and-neglect

nadid: 10449

Florida

Toll-Free: (800) 96-ABUSE (800-962-2873)

https://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/abuse-hotline/

Online Reporting http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/abuse-hotline

nadid: 10450

Georgia

Phone: (404) 657-3433

https://dfcs. georgia.gov/services/child-abuse-neglect

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10451

Guam

Phone: (671) 475-2653

Phone: (671) 475-2672

nadid: 29797

Hawaii

Local (toll): (808) 832-5300

http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/ssd/home/child-welfare-services/

nadid: 10452

Idaho

Phone: (208) 334-5437

Toll-Free: (855) 552-KIDS (5437)

https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/children-families/child-and-family-services-and-foster-care/reporting-neglect

nadid: 10453

Illinois

Toll-Free: (800) 252-2873

Local (toll): (217) 524-2606

https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/safekids/reporting/Pages/index.aspx

Mandated reporters may use the online child abuse reporting system in non-emergency situations.

nadid: 10454

Indiana

Toll-Free: (800) 800-5556

https://www. in.gov/dcs/contact-us/child-abuse-and-neglect-hotline/

nadid: 10455

Iowa

Toll-Free: (800) 362-2178

https://dhs.iowa.gov/home

nadid: 17506

Kansas

Toll-Free: (800) 922-5330

http://www.dcf.ks.gov/Pages/Report-Abuse-or-Neglect.aspx

Online reporting for mandated reporters in non-emergency situations http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/PPS/Pages/KIPS/KIPSWebIntake.aspx

nadid: 10457

Kentucky

Toll-Free: (877) 597-2331

https://prd.webapps.chfs.ky.gov/reportabuse/home.aspx

nadid: 17507

Louisiana

Toll-Free: (855) 452-5437

http://dss.louisiana.gov/page/109

Online reporting portal for mandated reporters in non-emergency situations https://mr.dcfs.la.gov/c/MR_PortalApp.app

nadid: 10459

Maine

Toll-Free: (800) 452-1999

TTY: (800) 963-9490

https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/about/contact/hotlines

nadid: 10460

Maryland

https://dhs. maryland.gov/child-protective-services/reporting-suspected-child-abuse-or-neglect/local-offices/

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10461

Massachusetts

Toll-Free: (800) 792-5200

https://www.mass.gov/child-abuse-and-neglect

nadid: 10462

Michigan

Toll-Free: (855) 444-3911

Fax: (616) 977-1154

https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-73971_7119---,00.html

Mandated Reporter online reporting system coming soon

nadid: 10463

Minnesota

https://mn.gov/dhs/report-abuse/

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10464

Mississippi

Phone: (601) 432-4570

Toll-Free: (800) 222-8000

https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/eccd/report-child-abuse/

Reporting via online system or by downloading the MDCPS Report Child Abuse mobile app https://www. mdcps.ms.gov/report-child-abuse-neglect/

nadid: 10465

Missouri

Toll-Free: (800) 392-3738

https://dss.mo.gov/cd/keeping-kids-safe/can.htm

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance. Online reporting for mandated reporters in non-emergency situations: https://dss.mo.gov/cd/keeping-kids-safe/can.htm

nadid: 10466

Montana

Toll-Free: (866) 820-5437

https://dphhs.mt.gov/cfsd/index

nadid: 17508

Nebraska

Phone: (402) 471-3121

Toll-Free: (800) 652-1999

https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Child-Abuse.aspx

nadid: 17509

Nevada

https://dcfs.nv.gov/Programs/CWS/CPS/CPS/

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10469

New Hampshire

Phone: (603) 271-6562

Toll-Free: (800) 894-5533

https://www. dhhs.nh.gov/dcyf/cps/stop.htm

nadid: 10470

New Jersey

Toll-Free: (877) 652-2873

TDD: (800) 835-5510

TTY: (800) 835-5510

https://www.nj.gov/dcf/reporting/hotline/

nadid: 17510

New Mexico

Toll-Free: (855) 333-7233

https://cyfd.org/

nadid: 10472

New York

Toll-Free: (800) 342-3720

TDD: (800) 369-2437

Local (toll): (518) 474-8740

https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/cps/

nadid: 10473

North Carolina

https://www.ncdhhs.gov/

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 28960

North Dakota

https://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/childfamily/cps/#reporting

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10475

Ohio

Toll-Free: (855) 642-4453

https://jfs. ohio.gov/ocf/reportchildabuseandneglect.stm

nadid: 17512

Oklahoma

Toll-Free: (800) 522-3511

https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs/contact-us/dhshotlines.html

nadid: 10477

Oregon

Toll-Free: (855) 503-SAFE (7233)

https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/children/child-abuse/Pages/Reporting-Numbers.aspx

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 17513

Pennsylvania

Toll-Free: (800) 932-0313

TDD: (866) 872-1677

https://www.dhs.pa.gov/contact/Pages/Report-Abuse.aspx

Online reporting portal for mandated reporters in non-emergency situations https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home

nadid: 17514

Puerto Rico

Toll-Free: (800) 981-8333

Local (toll): (787) 749-1333

nadid: 14201

Rhode Island

Phone: (401) 528-3500

Toll-Free: (800) RI-CHILD (800-742-4453)

https://dcyf. ri.gov/services/child-protective-services

nadid: 10480

South Carolina

Toll-Free: 1-888-227-3487

https://dss.sc.gov/child-well-being/report-child-abuse-and-neglect/

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 17515

South Dakota

TTY: (877) 244-0864

https://dss.sd.gov/childprotection/

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 17516

Tennessee

Toll-Free: (877) 237-0004

https://www.tn.gov/dcs/program-areas/child-safety/reporting/child-abuse.html

Online reporting https://apps.tn.gov/carat/

nadid: 17517

Texas

Toll-Free: (800) 252-5400

https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Contact_Us/report_abuse.asp

Online reporting

nadid: 17518

U.S. Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands

http://www. dhs.gov.vi/contact/index.html

nadid: 24632

Utah

Phone: 1-855-323-3237

https://dcfs.utah.gov/

nadid: 13060

Vermont

After hours: (800) 649-5285

https://dcf.vermont.gov/fsd/report

nadid: 10486

Virginia

Toll-Free: (800) 552-7096

Local (toll): (804) 786-8536

https://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/cps/index.cgi

nadid: 10487

Washington

Toll-Free: (800) 562-5624

Toll-Free: (866) END-HARM (866-363-4276)

TTY: (800) 624-6186

https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/safety/report-abuse

nadid: 10488

West Virginia

Toll-Free: (800) 352-6513

https://dhhr.wv.gov/bcf/Services/Pages/Centralized-Intake-for-Abuse-and-Neglect.aspx

nadid: 17519

Wisconsin

https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/reportabuse

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10490

Wyoming

https://www.wyomingcac.org/prevent-child-abuse/reporting-child-abuse

Click on the website above for information on reporting or call Childhelp (800-422-4453) for assistance.

nadid: 10491

What to do if you suspect your neighbors of child abuse?

In Russia, more than two million children under 14 annually suffer from domestic violence from close relatives — mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers or sisters. Neighbors, who often become unwitting witnesses to what is happening, face many questions: is it worth interfering in family affairs? Will it not turn out that their participation will only do harm? Won't guardianship then take the child out of the family?

"Such Cases" found out how charitable organizations and the guardianship authorities themselves propose to act in such cases.

Death from exhaustion and mountains of garbage

Since the beginning of 2019, there have been several high-profile cases when small children died or were injured, left unattended for several days.

At the end of January, a one-year-old boy died of exhaustion in St. Petersburg. His mother left home for several days and deliberately left the child without food or water. Previously, she was deprived of parental rights to her eldest son, 14 years old. The last time the guardianship authorities checked the family was in 2017. In Kirov, on February 20, the body of a three-year-old girl was found in one of the apartments in the city. Her mother locked her at home alone without food for a week and turned off the water taps. Neighbors told reporters that the girl was left alone at home more than once, but they did not contact the police or guardianship authorities. nine0003

On March 10, in Moscow, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations rescued a five-year-old girl from an apartment littered with garbage. Her mother also left her for a few days. The girl was emaciated, in dirty clothes, did not speak, and a plastic band had grown into her neck. Special services were called by neighbors who heard the child crying loudly. On April 8, in Mytishchi, guardianship authorities near Moscow took away four children from a local resident - three of them did not have birth certificates, because their mother gave birth to them right in the apartment. It turned out that the family lived in unsanitary conditions and ate leftovers from the garbage dump that their grandmother brought. Neighbors again turned to the guardianship authorities for help, because they had not seen children on the street for a long time. nine0003

How can you tell if a child is being mistreated at home?

The first thing that should immediately attract the attention of neighbors to a child is dirty and untidy clothes, swollen, sleepy or tearful eyes and other signs of neglect, listed the president of the interregional public organization to assist families with children in a difficult life situation "Aistenok" Larisa Lazareva . Children suffering from domestic violence often have bad habits, they laugh less often, they do worse in school. This can be noticed not only by housemates, but also by teachers at school. nine0003

But again, the expert stressed, a child's poor appearance is not a reason to come to the unequivocal conclusion that parents are abusing him. Perhaps the family just got into a difficult life situation.

“For starters, you can kindly ask the child himself if everything is fine at home. It must be remembered that very young children sometimes fantasize, so it is important not to go too far when communicating with them, ”said Lazareva. She also added that burns, bruises and marks of beatings on the child's body should become an alarming signal. But even here it is necessary to distinguish - bruises can also be from the fact that the child is involved in sports, is simply hyperactive, often falls and hits. nine0003

In any case, one should not ignore one's suspicions, because the outcome of the situation largely depends on the involvement of others. “We react little to the world around us. And in cases when we do not pay attention to problems and do not want to help - maybe out of fear of being witnesses or out of indifference - all kinds of cruelty occur, ”the director of Aistenka recalled.

What should I do if I suspect child abuse?

If it seems to a person that neighbors are cruel to their child or children, first of all, he should try to personally find out the situation of the family and offer help, Larisa Lazareva believes. For example, prolonged crying of a child does not always mean that he is being hurt. nine0003

“We had an exemplary case. Our specialist psychologist came to me for advice. The child of her downstairs neighbors cried at night for three days in a row, and she did not know what to do in such a situation. At first, I suggested that I just go to them and find out if they need some help. It turned out that the child's mother ended up in the hospital, while the father and grandmother stayed with the baby in their arms and transferred him from breastfeeding to formula. The baby just had a stomach ache, that's why he cried, especially at night, - said the director of "Aistenka". “As a result, our employee explained to them how best to switch from breastfeeding to formula, gave other small tips, gave the coordinates of the organization, and everything was decided. ” nine0003

Elena Alshanskaya, President of the Volunteers to Help Orphans Foundation, also suggested that she find out the situation in the family and try to help on her own. “You need to understand that many cases, especially those that are discussed in the press, have nothing to do with ill-treatment,” she stressed. - There is real violence and a threat to the life and health of the child. And it happens that a family is in a difficult life situation and cannot cope, for example, with the issues of caring for an apartment and ensuring order. Yes, this causes inconvenience to the neighbors, but this is not cruel treatment. Unfortunately, neighbors usually react more actively to smells or cockroaches than to real violence against a child. nine0003

If the family is in a difficult situation, you can establish communication with them, offer help, or at least find out if they need it, advises Alshanskaya. For example, offer children's things, toys, or look after the child from time to time if the mother is raising the child alone and it is difficult for her to cope with it herself.

THEN SHE WILL NOT BE TEMPTED TO LEAVE THE CHILD ALONE FOR THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH TIME

“Neighbors can help through very simple forms of help that do not humiliate [a person]. The main thing is to offer this help in some harmless, respectful way. But this turns out to be the most difficult, because we are very divided and we live in apartment buildings, as if in a forest, ”Alshanskaya said. nine0003

"Takie Dela" also applied for a comment on the algorithm of actions in such situations to the guardianship authorities. Svetlana Komkova, head of the department of guardianship and guardianship of the administration of the Presnensky district of Moscow, recommends that neighbors not find out the circumstances on their own, but immediately call the social service.

“It’s difficult to assess on your own whether there is a threat to the child or not, it’s difficult right away, you need to call the guardianship authorities,” says Svetlana Komkova. - And we will decide whether there is a problem or not. In the event that abuse does occur, we will be able to provide assistance to the child in time. The sooner we start helping, the better. We are obliged to come and check, even if everything turns out to be safe in the family, and the children just stomped loudly upstairs." nine0003

When should I call the police or child welfare authorities?

If the residents of the house know that a child is subjected to physical violence in the family, continued Larisa Lazareva, president of Aistenka, this is a reason to contact law enforcement agencies and guardianship and guardianship authorities at the place of residence. Some departments have special communication channels for this:

"Hotline" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation 8 (800) 222-74-47;

Hotline "Child in Danger" of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation 8(800)707-79-78;

"Unified social phone" 8 (800) 3008-100;

In Moscow, there is a single number "051" - a hotline telephone, from which appeals are also forwarded to guardianship authorities.

“It happens that neighbors, especially if they are dealing with brawlers, are afraid to call the police under their own names. You can contact the authorities anonymously. I myself made such calls several times for other people who did not want to reveal their identities. Such appeals should also be responded to,” the expert said. nine0003

Svetlana Komkova confirmed to the Trade House that social services are obliged to respond on the first call and consider any appeals, including anonymous ones. “And this does not mean that the guardianship authorities will come and take the child from the family,” she said. - Now the work of social services throughout the country is set to see if there are resources in the family to correct the difficult situation. Yes, it happens that parents do not let us into the apartment and do not want to communicate. But we still continue to work with this family and explain to adults that they need this work.” nine0003

The head of the welfare department noted that in 80-90% of cases, the abuse of children by relatives is the result of the use of alcohol or drugs. But even such cases, as she noted, are not a reason for them to immediately take the child. At first, social services are trying to find more humane ways to solve the problem, "but if there is a risk for a child to be in this family, we must minimize it."

What should I do if my complaint goes unanswered?

If law enforcement agencies do not respond immediately or respond but do not take any action, do not hesitate to call them a second and third time and, if necessary, write complaints. “The annoying attention of neighbors can also save the situation,” said Elena Alshanskaya. nine0003

The director of Aistenok added that in case of a late response from the guardianship authorities, you can contact the Ministry of Education or Social Policy of your region directly, which has a leading guardianship and guardianship department.

Elena Alshanskaya, President of the Volunteers to Help Orphans Foundation, noted that they received complaints that the intervention of guardianship authorities and the police did not always help. “And let's be honest, there are reasons for this. There have already been situations when no one helped or the situation turned against the neighbors who asked for help, or the children themselves,” she said. — For example, [social service employees] interviewed parents in front of children who told neighbors about sexual abuse by their stepfather, and in front of parents - children. It is clear that a child in such a situation will deny everything.” nine0003

In addition, there are situations when children are taken away from their families not because of the way their parents treat them, but because of the conditions in which they live. As Elena Alshanskaya explained, housing conditions may not have anything to do with violence, but this is how the legislation works: the only document that guardianship authorities are required to fill out is an act of examining living conditions. This leads to a strange bias from protecting children from violence to checking living conditions.

Society's task is to change the current situation: to help families, protect children and amend imperfect legislation, the expert concluded. nine0003

how they work, what to do and how to behave if their employees come to you

Tamara Skokova

guardianship and guardianship specialist

Author profile

I work in guardianship and guardianship authorities and help protect and even save children, who need it.

I know from experience that many people are afraid of guardians. Perhaps this is due to the stereotype that heartless function people work in government agencies. These are often shown in films. But in fact, in guardianship, as elsewhere, different people work. Including professional, kind and sincerely trying to help. nine0003

In the article I will tell you what powers the guardianship authorities have, in what situations they come to families, how to behave if they come to you, and why these visits should not be feared.

What do you learn

What are the guardianship and trusteeship bodies
In what cases the guardianship comes to families
how to behave if the guardianship authorities
that the guardianship authorities are checked by
as the guardianship authorities can help

How to raise children and not go broke

The best materials on how to cope with parenthood and get the most out of the state - every Tuesday in your mail. Free of charge

What are guardianship and guardianship authorities

There is no juvenile justice in Russia — this is the name given to the association of social services and public organizations around a special court that protects the rights of minors. But there are government agencies that do this. Among them are guardianship and guardianship authorities.

The main task of guardianship authorities is to protect the rights and legitimate interests of people of any age who are under guardianship or guardianship or need them. They also monitor the work of guardians, trustees and organizations that help incapacitated or not fully capable people. They also help to preserve and manage the property of the wards. nine0003

Art. 7 of the Law "On guardianship and guardianship"

In order for the guardianship authorities to perform these tasks, the state has endowed them with a large set of powers. For example, they:

identify people who need guardianship or guardianship, including children, and appoint guardians and trustees for them;
apply to the court to recognize a person as incapable or partially capable - as well as fully capable if the grounds due to which he needed guardianship have disappeared; nine0100
issue permits for property transactions of wards;
represent the interests of children and wards in courts if their parents, guardians or trustees violate the law;
check the conditions in which the wards live.

st. 8 of the Law "On guardianship and guardianship"

In each region or municipality, guardianship authorities may have their own name. For example, the guardianship authority of the Moscow Region is the Regional Ministry of Social Development, and the Volgograd Region is the Regional Committee for Social Protection of the Population. nine0003

Navigator of regional guardianship and guardianship authorities

Locally, these are departments or departments of guardianship and guardianship. And they can be either separate bodies in the system of municipal government, or part of some others. For example, I work in the department of social protection of the population, and it is in our municipality that it performs the functions of a guardianship and guardianship body.

In what cases guardianship comes to families

Guardianship employees never come with checks without reason. If there are people in the family under guardianship or guardianship, as well as adopted children, we monitor them regularly. In the first case, if there are no complaints, we visit them twice a year. And in the second - once a year for three years after adoption. nine0003

Clause 4 of Appendix No. 2 to the Order of the Ministry of Education of January 10, 2019 No. 4

Guardianship authorities come to ordinary families only upon someone’s complaint: we are obliged to respond to all alarming messages. For example, we often receive information from school teachers and psychologists, educators, pediatricians and casual citizens who suspect that children are being mistreated in some family. Here are a few situations in which custody is most likely to come into the family:

parents are divorcing and they have a dispute about children. In this case, the guardianship authorities, at the request of the court, prepare conclusions, for example, on the procedure for communicating with the child or on the place of residence of the child with one of the parents after the divorce; nine0100
the child has problems at school. Probably, his teacher or school principal will contact us;
the family has a conflict with neighbors. In my experience, in this case, neighbors often complain to guardianship with or without reason;
Parents have refused to vaccinate their child or treat him in non-traditional ways. The pediatrician will inform us about this.

According to the rules, within three days after the notification was received, the guardianship authorities must come to the child's home to find out in what conditions he lives. In some situations, the check will be carried out immediately. For example, if the neighbors reported that the child has been home alone for a long time or his parents have been drinking for several days, this means that the child has actually been left without care and is in danger. Therefore, we are obliged to help him quickly. nine0003

Let me give you three examples from practice. In the first case, the teacher wrote to us. She saw bruises on the student's arms and body. We reacted - we came to the child's house with a check. The teacher's fears were confirmed: the father locked the boy in the room, beat him, forced him to work hard for food. As a result, the father was convicted under article 156 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for failure to fulfill the duties of raising a child, associated with a cruel attitude towards him, and deprived of parental rights. And the boy was sent to an orphanage. nine0003

In the second case, we were contacted by a pediatrician from a children's polyclinic. She said that a baby with colic and underweight was admitted to the hospital. Communicating with the child's mother, she noticed that she was negligent about her daughter's health. During the check, we found out that the woman did not have money to buy mixtures for her child, and she collected herbs, brewed them and fed her daughter with these broths. As a result, the girl was cured, but her mother refused her.

In the third case, we received an anonymous call. The woman said that in one family, a seven-year-old girl lives with her grandmother, and her parents work in another city and rarely come. Because of this, the girl asks the neighbors for food. We went to check and found almost the whole family at home, except for my mother: my parents worked on shifts and came home one by one. The girl looked well-groomed, did not miss school, and dad and grandmother willingly made contact and did not hide anything. It turned out that it was a false call from a neighbor with whom the family had a conflict. nine0003

Clause 5 of Appendix No. 2 to the Order of the Ministry of Education of January 10, 2019 No. 4

To avoid unexpected guardianship visits, I recommend that you follow the basic rules for caring for children. For example, you should not leave the maternity hospital without an extract, ignore vaccinations from the official list of the Ministry of Health, neglect routine examinations by pediatric doctors, delay issuing a birth certificate for a child. These are the most common situations from my practice when guardianship began to be interested in families.

Let's imagine that a pregnant woman was not registered at the antenatal clinic and gave birth at home. And then I was in no hurry to register the birth of the child in the registry office. This may mean both that she adheres to the theory of natural parenting and did not have time for bureaucratic procedures, or that she missed the deadline for an abortion and wants to get rid of the child after his birth. In the second case, guardianship is obliged to protect the newborn.

What to do? 13.03.19

Neighbor threatens to complain about my children to the guardianship authorities

I also recommend reporting to the children's polyclinic and to the school or kindergarten about all the important moments in the child's life. For example, teachers and doctors should say that the child is engaged in the boxing section. Otherwise, they may mistake a bruise received in training for beatings from their parents. And if you don't want to vaccinate your child, don't just ignore pediatricians. It is better to write a refusal to vaccinate: you have the right to do so.

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How to save on childhood vaccinations without saving on health

How to contact the guardianship authorities

Anyone who suspects that the legal representatives of a minor are mistreating him can apply for guardianship. You should definitely notify guardianship if:

the parents left the child unattended and this threatens his health or life;
adults abuse a child;
members of the child's family abuse alcohol or drugs;
the child was kicked out into the street and is not allowed to go home; nine0100
no one is watching the child and he spends a lot of time without adults;
the child looks untidy, wears out-of-season clothing, asks for food from strangers, or clearly needs medical attention.

In all these situations, the child can suffer, so you should not remain indifferent. But still, before applying for custody, I recommend clarifying with him and his parents what is really happening. For example, the screams of a child behind the wall do not always mean that the parents beat him, and dirty clothes are not necessarily a sign of a dysfunctional family. nine0003

It is important to find out the real circumstances, because any application for guardianship will be followed by checks, visits to the family and possible consequences.

What to do if you suspect your neighbors of child abuse?

Where to go. You can call or write to the city or district department of guardianship and guardianship authorities. You can find contacts on the Internet by searching for "guardianship [your district and / or city]" - each department has a website.

In the appeal, it is important to briefly but meaningfully describe the situation. So the responsible employee will be able to evaluate it and decide how quickly you need to respond.

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Where can I complain about neighbors who yell at a child and possibly beat him?

Can I apply anonymously. Possible. But you need to remember that, according to the law, government agencies have the right not to respond to anonymous appeals. Even if your appeal is not false and the child really needs help, there is a risk that he will not be helped just because you did not want to give your name. nine0003

At the same time, if for some reason you cannot apply for guardianship openly, then it is better to report your suspicions than to ignore the alarms. Because in practice, the guardianship authorities still respond to any anonymous appeals: it is better to go to check on such a call than to endanger the life and health of the child.

How to behave if guardianship authorities come to you

Is it possible not to let guardianship officers in? By law, the home is inviolable. This means that guardianship officers can enter it in three cases:

Art. 25 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation

Part 2 Art. 1, part 3, art. 15 of the law "On Police"

If the people living in it have allowed it.
If there is a court order or guardianship order for the removal of children.
If there is reason to believe that a crime has been committed or is being committed in the dwelling. For example, you can hear a child screaming and asking for help. In this case, there will be a juvenile police officer with the guardian.

That is, if you wish you can not let caregivers go home if they have no reason to enter without your permission. And even if they claim that a crime is being committed in the house, you can find out why they think so and explain what is really happening.

Usually guardianship officers come without warning and closer to the evening to determine the real state of affairs in the family. If the visit took you by surprise, try to negotiate with the employees and reschedule the meeting to a day convenient for you. nine0003

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Responsibilities of parents

How to check guardianship employees. If you are ready to communicate with guardianship, I recommend that you first make sure that employees of a government agency really came to you, and not scammers. To do this, ask them to show documents - an identity card and a passport. Parents are responsible for the safety of their children, so they must be sure that it is guardians who are allowed into the apartment.

If you have any doubts, you can call the guardianship authority and ask if these people work there and if they were sent to your address with a check. I also recommend that you write down the full names of everyone who came to you. This will come in handy if you later need to remember who exactly you communicated with. nine0003 Approximately such a certificate must be shown by an employee of the guardianship and guardianship authority - in different regions they may look different

What to do if guardianship behaves incorrectly. According to internal regulations, guardianship employees, when coming home to families, must follow the rules adopted there. For example, take off your shoes and outerwear at the entrance, wash your hands.

Also, employees should not be allowed to walk wherever they want. They should indicate that they can move around the house only with the permission and in the presence of its owner. nine0003

Parents have the right not to sign any paperwork without a lawyer during the meeting with the guardian, and also not to agree to the child being taken to the hospital if he/she is apparently well. In the second case, we can say that you yourself go to the pediatrician and then transfer the certificate from him to the guardianship authorities.

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Rights of children under 18

Guardianship may take a child during a visit only if there is a clear threat to his life or health. nine0152 That is, if the child is not taken away right now, he will suffer physically or mentally. For example, when his parents left him without food, water, clothes or beat him. Details are in the article about which families are considered dysfunctional.

If caregivers threaten parents to deprive them of their rights and take the child away, there is no need to be afraid. Restriction and deprivation of parental rights are complex procedures that are resorted to in situations where parents are really bad at their duties and harm the child. This is described in detail in the article T-Z on deprivation of parental rights. nine0003

If guardianship officers behave inappropriately, for example, threaten, intimidate, demand to sign documents, you must immediately report this to the prosecutor's office. Here is an article on how to properly file a complaint with any agency. You can also tell relatives, friends and the public about this case, for example, involve journalists. But in no case should you show aggression and insult guardianship employees: this will not help in any way and will only aggravate the situation.

/prava/parents/

Your rights if you have children

It is important for parents to show caregivers who exceed their authority that they know their rights, love their child and will not give it away without legal grounds.

What guardianship authorities check

When guardianship officers come to families' homes, they check the conditions in which children live. Here's what they usually look at.

Appendix No. 2 to the order of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation dated January 10, 2019 No. 4

Child’s health status - it depends on him how guardianship will behave during the visit. For example, if a child needs urgent medical care, then guardianship will immediately call a pediatrician and he will decide whether to take the child to the hospital.

One day a neighbor of the family called us and said that the mother of a newborn girl drinks and often leaves her alone. And the girl needs special care: she feeds through a tube.

When we arrived for the checkup, the local pediatrician was immediately called. He assessed the condition of the girl and sent her to the hospital. Subsequently, we deprived the mother of parental rights, because she completely stopped caring for her daughter. In court, the mother did not object to the deprivation. nine0003

If the child does not need a doctor right now, then the guardian will still examine him and try to look for signs of abuse - bruises, scratches, scars, burns, abrasions, wounds, fractures. And also check whether the level of his physical development corresponds to his age: weight deficit can be determined by eye.

Appearance of the child. For example, is he clean, what clothes does he wear and what kind of shoes does he have. It is quite normal if the child has simple inexpensive clothes. But it is important that it be clean, appropriate for his age and gender. nine0003

Living conditions. The guardian will definitely clarify who owns the housing. And then he will examine it and assess whether there is enough space for all family members, whether the child has a place to sleep, play, do activities, is it well equipped, is it safe there, does the child have access to dangerous objects, medicines, electrical appliances.

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There is an opinion that the room in which the child lives must be sterile clean - otherwise it will not be liked by the guardians. And there should be a lot of various products in the refrigerator. But this is not so. For guardianship, it is important that housing meets the minimum requirements:

Need conditional order. No one will pay attention to a couple of unwashed dishes or dust on the windowsill, guardianship employees will not walk around the apartment like auditors. But a pile of unwashed dishes, a pile of dirty laundry, insects, lack of light and gas will raise questions.
The child must have their own bed and study area - a kitchen table will not work.
The kitchen must have groceries and prepared food. There are no specific requirements. It is good if there are fruits and vegetables at home, but there are enough stocks of cereals, fresh soup, a set of frozen convenience foods, and for infants, a supply of formula for feeding if the child needs it. nine0100
The child must have seasonal clothes. To check this, guardianship officers will look in the closet or ask the parents to show it.

The financial situation of the family is another important issue. Therefore, it is normal if the guardian asks the parents how much they earn, whether they receive child support, pensions, benefits or other social benefits, what property they have and what rights the child has to it.

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Payments and child benefits in 2022

Family relationships. The guardian will find out who lives with the child and takes care of him, what are the relations between family members and how they affect the child, where other close relatives live.

To find out all this, the guardian will talk to the child, parents and other family members. And he can also ask the neighbors.

Within three days after the check, guardianship officers draw up an act of examining the living conditions of a minor citizen and his family. The act is signed by the employee who came to the family and approved by the head of the guardianship and guardianship body. nine0003

Clause 9 of Appendix No. 2 to the Order of the Ministry of Education of January 10, 2019 No. 4

The most interesting thing in the survey report is the conclusions made by the guardianship officer. It depends on them what measures will be taken in relation to the family. Conclusions are drawn on several questions:

Does something threaten the life, health, normal upbringing and development of the child?
Do the parents take care of the child?
Does the child need help? If yes, then in what - social, legal, psychological and pedagogical, medical, material? nine0100
Does the family need medical, psychological, pedagogical, legal or social assistance?

The guardianship sends a certified copy of the act to the parents of the child within three days. If they do not agree with the conclusions, the results of the check can be challenged in court. Here is an article on how to file a lawsuit.

How guardianship authorities can help

From the act of examining the living conditions of a minor and his family, it is clear that the further fate of the guardianship officer who checked the family depends on the impressions and conclusions. But there is no need to be afraid of bad conclusions: parents will not be deprived of their rights, and children will not be taken away immediately - the family will definitely be given the opportunity and time to correct the identified shortcomings. nine0003

To help the family, guardianship can refer parents to any specialists they need. As a rule, they are not in the structure of guardianship authorities. But on the other hand, there are always partner organizations that help their wards, for example, family support services.

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How to help parents keep children in the family

Here is what guardianship can do for the family:

find out where the family can get help, which doctor, psychologist, teacher, lawyer or contact a social worker - including for free; nine0100
to help parents get treatment for alcohol or drug addiction — send them to the escort service so that they can find a suitable rehabilitation center;
to help arrange children in a kindergarten or school - explain to parents what benefits and opportunities they have for this;
temporarily place children in a specialized institution - a rehabilitation center or assistance center, if they need it;
to place children in an organization for orphans and children left without care - if the parents have abandoned them or do not cope with their duties; nine0100
send parents to the employment center so that they get a job or undergo retraining;
provide children from low-income families with free trips to city camps, and provide financial assistance to parents, such as certificates for food, household appliances, clothes.

I will give two examples from practice.

In the first case, a woman, a neighbor of the family, called us in custody. She said that parents do not care about their six-year-old son. Because of this, the boy looks untidy, wanders the streets and asks for food from strangers. We went to check, and the message was confirmed. nine0003

The boy's parents had been drinking for several days and were drunk when we arrived. They said that they had a difficult life situation and they needed help. And we helped.

We offered parents:

Medical assistance - we referred them for treatment for alcohol addiction.
Psychological assistance - the whole family was referred to a psychologist.
Financial assistance - parents were sent to the department for the provision of material assistance to poor citizens. There they were given food for 5000 R and used things. nine0100

And we temporarily placed the boy in a social rehabilitation center for minors.

Six months later, the parents managed to recover from addiction and improve their lives. After that, the child returned to the family.

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I spent 56,500 R to fight alcohol addiction and have not been drinking for more than a year

In the second case, we were told that a mother of four children abuses alcohol. The family also lived in a very neglected house - without electricity and gas, because they were turned off for non-payment. Children walked 6 kilometers to and from school. nine0003

To help the family, we turned to all possible services. Thanks to this, the administration of the rural settlement found a comfortable house for the family in the village, where there is a school, and helped to buy it with maternity capital. The employment service found a job for my mother in a kindergarten: she was a teacher by education. We also helped to place the younger children in a kindergarten, and the older ones in a new school.

All these measures allowed the mother to improve her life, and the children to stay in their own families.

What is the result

Guardianship authorities protect the rights of people of any age who are under guardianship or guardianship or need them. Including the rights of children whose parents do not cope with their duties.
Care workers never visit families without reason. If your family does not have people under guardianship or guardianship, as well as adopted children, then they can only come to you upon someone's complaint.
School teachers and psychologists, educators, pediatricians and random people who suspect that children are being mistreated can complain about the family. After each message, the guardianship must check. nine0100
If guardianship officers come to you, check their passports and official IDs. And if they behave incorrectly, report it to the prosecutor's office.
During the inspection, the guardian finds out in what conditions the family lives and how the children look and feel.
Learn more