Child Welfare Information Gateway
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
      • Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Programs
      • Public Awareness & Creating Supportive Communities
      • 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: Out-of-Home Care
      • 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: Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Reunifying Families
      • Recruiting and Retaining Resource Families
      • Permanency With Relatives and Kin
      • Guardianship
      • Permanency for Specific Youth 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 in Adoption
    • 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
    • Library Search Help
    • Library Services
  • 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
      • The Story of the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Video Series
    • Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Series
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Webinars
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • News & Events
    • Free Subscriptions
    • Adoption Triad
    • Children's Bureau Express (CBX)
    • The Grantee Connection
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Find Help With a Personal Situation

Find Help With a Personal Situation

Families face difficult challenges and may need specific resources, information, or assistance to deal with problematic personal situations. The following questions address common child welfare issues that families face.Inclusion on this list is for information purposes and does not constitute an endorsement by Child Welfare Information Gateway or the Children's Bureau.

 

How do I report suspected child abuse or neglect?

Find your State's child protective services reporting number or call the Childhelp National Child Abuse hotline—available 24 hours a day/7 days a week—at 1.800.4.A.CHILD (1.800.422.4453) to speak with a trained counselor.

For more information, visit How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect.

 

How do I report child pornography and online child exploitation?

To report child pornography and online child exploitation, contact:

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline
1.800.THE.LOST (1.800.843.5678)

CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system to report suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extrafamilial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex trafficking, and more.

I was in foster care, am I eligible for financial aid or grants for assistance for college/vocational training?

Contact your State Independent Living and Education Training Voucher Coordinators for State specific information.

Where can I find resources on housing services or/and rental assistance for families with children?

Use the Housing and Urban Development Resource Locator to quickly connect with key contacts in your State/area and/or find a HUD-participating agency by calling 1-800-569-4287 or connecting with HUD online.

I am looking for support services and information for survivors of sexual abuse, where can I find help?

Call the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) or chat online for confidential crisis support.

I am pregnant/a new mother in need of some emotional support. How do I get some assistance?

Call or text the National Maternal Health Hotline 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746), a free, confidential, 24/7 service to connect with professional counselors (in English and Spanish) before, during, and after pregnancy.

How do I file a complaint if I disagree with the local child protective services agency's handling of my child(ren)’s case?

Visit our Client Rights page for general information about the grievance process and how to file a complaint.

How do I find legal information and assistance?

The American Bar Association provides legal information, including State-specific services, legal hotlines, court resources, and more.

  • Free Legal Answers
  • Find Legal Help
  • Parents Know Your Rights Guide

How do I explore solutions regarding custody and coparenting issues and mediation?

The Child Find of America – Parent Help program (1.800.716.3468) offers free, confidential, telephone-based services to parents in conflict.

Where can I direct questions about child support?

For questions about child support, contact your local Child Support Agency.

You may access Contact Information for State and Tribal Child Support Agencies on the Office of Child Support Enforcement website.

How do I connect with a crisis counselor?

Text HOME to 741741 to speak with a crisis counselor at the Crisis Text Line.

How do I seek help if I am affected by domestic abuse?

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233). If you are unable to speak freely, text LOVEIS to 1.866.331.9474.

How do I connect with local resources to meet my essential needs?

211.org offers information about local resources in 180 languages. Calls are confidential, and service professionals are available 24/7.

How I do I connect to parenting support and resources?

Call the National Parent Helpline at 1.855.4.A.PARENT (1.855.427.2736) to speak with a trained National Parent Helpline advocate who can listen to you, offer emotional support, and build on your parenting strengths.

How do I find temporary relief/respite for family caregivers?

Contact the ARCH National Respite Locator Service at 1.800.677.1116 (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday).

How do I access crisis services if I am worried about my runaway child or if I am a child thinking about running away?

Call the National Runaway Safeline at 1.800.786.2929 (live chat, emails, forum) or text 66008 for free, confidential services and support. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Where can I learn about grants for single mothers?

Explore Single Mothers Grants for an overview of financial assistance programs that help single mothers.

Where do I find treatment for mental health and substance use disorders?

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration collects information on thousands of State-licensed providers who specialize in treating substance use disorders, addiction, and mental illness.

Whom can I call for suicide prevention and crisis assistance?

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free and confidential support for people in distress as well as prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How do I find financial assistance to raise my grandchild?

Refer to Information Gateway’s State Kinship Care Contacts and Programs to access contact information for State officials and kinship care-specific services offered by State child welfare departments.

(Back to Top)

English | Spanish

Child Welfare Information Gateway is not equipped to offer crisis counseling or intervene in and/or advise in personal situations.  

You may find answers to frequently asked questions about child welfare issues in the Children’s Bureau’s Questions and Answers Support Page. Information on available benefits may be accessed on the Benefits.gov website.  

Children's Bureau - An office of the Administration for Children and Families

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
    • Information Gateway Podcast
    • Multimedia
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • NEWS AND EVENTS
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • 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