skip to body
Skip to main content
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
  • Administration for Children & Families
  • Children's Bureau
Child Welfare Information Gateway
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   

Home Topics Publications Library State Resources More Tools & Resources News & Events
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Free Subscriptions
  • Resources in Spanish
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Resources in Spanish
  • Shopping Cart
  • Home
  • Topics
    • Family-Centered Practice
      • Philosophy and Key Elements of Family-Centered Practice
      • Family-Centered Practice Across the Service Continuum
      • Engaging Families
      • Family-Centered Casework Practice
      • Family Group Decision-Making
      • Engaging Communities to Support Families
      • Creating a Family-Centered Agency Culture
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Definitions of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Identification of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Risk Factors That Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect
      • People Who Engage in Child Abuse or Neglect
      • Impact of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
      • Overview: Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Promoting Child & Family Well-Being
      • Public Awareness & Creating Supportive Communities
      • Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Programs
      • Developing & Sustaining Prevention Programs
      • Evidence-Based Practice for Child Abuse Prevention
      • Evaluating Prevention Programs
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Introduction to Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
      • Assessment in Child Protection
      • Differential Response in Child Protective Services
      • Child Protection Casework Practice
      • Responding to Child Maltreatment Near Fatalities and Fatalities
      • Trauma-Informed Practice in Child Welfare
      • Collaborative Responses to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
      • Supporting Families With Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
      • Introduction to Family Support and Preservation
      • In-Home Services Involved With Child Protection
      • Family Support Services
      • Resources for Managers of Family Support and Preservation Services
      • Family Preservation Services
    • Out-of-Home Care
      • National Foster Care Month
      • Overview
      • Foster Care
      • Group and Residential Care
      • Kinship Care
      • Casework Practice in Out-of-Home Care
      • Transition to Adulthood and Independent Living
      • Placement Decisions
      • Resources for Foster Families
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Overview
      • Reunifying Families
      • Recruiting and Retaining Resource Families
      • Permanency With Relatives and Kin
      • Guardianship
      • Permanency for Specific Populations
      • Legal and Court Issues in Permanency
      • Interjurisdictional Placements
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families in Permanency Planning
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families After Permanency
      • Resources for Administrators and Managers About Permanency
      • Resources for Families About Permanency
    • Adoption
      • National Adoption Month
      • Children's Bureau Adoption Call to Action
      • All-In Foster Adoption Challenge
      • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
      • Introduction to Adoption
      • Ethical Issues in Adoption
      • For Adopted People
      • For Adoption Program Managers & Administrators
      • For Expectant Parents Considering Adoption and Birth Parents
      • How to Adopt
      • Laws Related to Adoption
      • Parenting After Adoption
      • Postplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Preplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Search & Reunion
    • Management & Supervision
      • Administering & Managing Child Welfare Agencies & Programs
      • Child Welfare Practice Improvement
      • Disaster Preparedness & Response
      • Ethical Practice & Client Rights
      • Evaluating Program and Practice Effectiveness
      • Funding
      • Information Systems & Data
      • Supervising Child Welfare Services
      • System Reform
      • Training
      • Workforce
    • Systemwide
      • Assessment
      • Behavioral Health & Wellness
      • Courts
      • Cultural Responsiveness
      • Diverse Populations and Communities
      • Domestic Violence
      • Human Trafficking
      • Laws & Policies
      • Service Array
      • Statistics
      • Well-Being
      • Youth
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Topic
    • Browse by Title
    • índice de Títulos en Español (Spanish Title Index)
  • Library
    • Search Our Library
    • Library Policy
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals Search
    • State-Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Resources From the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants
      • Children's Bureau Timeline
      • Children's Bureau Video Series
      • The Children's Bureau Legacy: Ensuring the Right to Childhood
      • The Story of the Children's Bureau
    • Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Series
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Webinars
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • News & Events
    • Adoption Triad
    • Free Subscriptions
    • Children's Bureau Express (CBX)
    • The Grantee Connection
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Frequently Asked Questions: Child Abuse & Neglect

Frequently Asked Questions: Child Abuse & Neglect

  • Questions and answers
  • General resources
  • Frequently requested information

Questions and answers

  • What are the signs or symptoms of child abuse and neglect?
  • At what age can a child legally be left home alone?
  • What can I do if I suspect child abuse or neglect? How do I report child abuse or neglect?
  • What is considered child abuse and neglect in my State? How does my State define child abuse and neglect?
  • Can I make an anonymous report of abuse?
  • How many children are abused and neglected each year?
  • How many children die each year due to abuse or neglect?
  • According to Child Maltreatment 2017, an estimated 1,720 children died as a result of abuse or neglect in Federal Fiscal Year 2017. This national estimate was based on data from State child welfare information systems, as well as other data sources available to the States. The full text of Child Maltreatment 2017 is available online at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/report/child-maltreatment-2017.

(Back to Top)

General resources

How to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment
Also available in Spanish: Cómo puede reportar el maltrato de menores

Toll-Free Crisis Hotline Numbers
Also available in Spanish: Números Gratuitos de las Líneas de Ayuda en Caso de Crisis

What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 276KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 312KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2019
Outlines the legal definition of child abuse and neglect; the different types of abuse and neglect; and the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, including human trafficking. It also includes information on how to effectively identify and report maltreatment and refer children who have been maltreated as well as additional resources.

From Complaint to Resolution: Understanding the Child Welfare Grievance Process

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 554KB)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 245KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2016
Provides parents (birth, foster, and adoptive) and other caregivers with information about the best way to resolve their differences with a service provider or other child welfare professional. Since child welfare agency policies and procedures are State-specific, this factsheet presents information from a national perspective and points to additional resources about where to find information related to a particular State. The information and resources provided in this factsheet address the majority of complaints associated with the CPS system.

Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect

Series Title
State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 924KB)
Year Published
2019
Presents State laws that define the conduct, acts, and omissions that constitute child abuse or neglect that must be reported to child protective agencies. The types of maltreatment defined include physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

How the Child Welfare System Works

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 789KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 481KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2020
Provides a brief overview of the purposes and functions of the child welfare system and includes a flowchart illustrating how cases typically move through the system.

Child Maltreatment 2019: Summary of Findings

Series Title
Numbers and Trends
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 480KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published
2021
Presents summarized information from Child Maltreatment 2019 , a report based on data submissions by State child protective services agencies for Federal fiscal year 2019. Statistics include the number of allegations of mistreatment, the number and outcomes of investigations, characteristics of victims and perpetrators, fatalities, and services.

(Back to Top)

Frequently requested information

Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities 2019: Statistics & Interventions

Series Title
Numbers and Trends
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 1,236KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published
2021
Presents statistics and information on child fatalities due to abuse and neglect in the United States during Federal fiscal year 2019 as compiled and reported in Child Maltreatment 2019 . This summary of national and State data includes information on fatalities due to abuse and neglect, child and perpetrator characteristics, and communities' responses to child fatalities.

Leaving Your Child Home Alone

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 223KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 216KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2018
Discusses the factors parents must consider when deciding whether their child is ready to be left home alone as well as tips to help make the experience safe and successful for all. Resources for more information are also included.

Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 354KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 326KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2019
Explains the long-term physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences of child abuse and neglect and provides an overview of adverse childhood experiences. It also discusses the importance of prevention and intervention efforts and promoting protective relationships and environments. Childhood maltreatment can be linked to later physical, psychological, and behavioral consequences as well as costs to society as a whole. The outcomes for each child may vary widely and are affected by a combination of factors. Additionally, children who experience maltreatment often are affected by other adverse experiences (e.g., parental substance use, domestic violence, poverty), which can make it difficult to separate the unique effects of maltreatment.

Understanding the Effects of Maltreatment on Brain Development

Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 443KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published
2015
Provides basic information on brain development and the effects of abuse and neglect on that development. The information is designed to help professionals understand the emotional, mental, and behavioral impact of early abuse and neglect in children who come to the attention of the child welfare system.

(Back to Top)

Children’s Bureau

Child Welfare Information Gateway is a service of the

  • Children’s Bureau
  • Administration for Children and Families
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
↑ Back to top
  • HOME
  • TOPICS
    • Family-Centered Practice
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
    • Out-of-Home Care
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
    • Adoption
    • Management & Supervision
    • Systemwide
  • National Initiatives
    • National Adoption Month
    • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
    • National Foster Care Month
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Title
    • Browse by Topic
    • Índice de Títulos en Español
  • Library
    • Search the Library
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals
    • State Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Children's Bureau Resources
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • NEWS AND EVENTS
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Free Subscriptions
    • Event Calendar
  • ABOUT US
    • How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect
    • Find Help With a Personal Situation
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Glossary
    • Search A to Z
  • Contact Us
    • 1-800-394-3366
    • info@childwelfare.gov
    • Subscribe to Free Updates
    • Chat With Us
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on YouTube
  • POLICIES & HELPFUL LINKS
    • Disclaimer and Policies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • FOIA requests
    • No FEAR Act data
    • Office of the Inspector General
    • Performance reports
    • Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Download Acrobat Reader
  • ↑ Back to top