Cross-Reporting Among Agencies That Respond to Child Abuse and Neglect - North Carolina

Cross-Reporting Between Child Protective Services and Law Enforcement

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-307

If the director of the Division of Social Services finds evidence that a juvenile may have been abused, the director shall make an immediate oral and subsequent written report of the findings to the district attorney and the appropriate local law enforcement agency within 48 hours after receipt of the report. The local law enforcement agency shall immediately, but no later than 48 hours after receipt of the information, initiate and coordinate a criminal investigation, with the protective services assessment being conducted by the county department.

If the director receives information that a juvenile may have been physically harmed in violation of any criminal statute by any person other than the juvenile's parent, guardian, custodian, or caregiver, the director shall make an immediate oral and subsequent written report of that information to the district attorney and to the appropriate local law enforcement agency within 48 hours after receipt of the information. The local law enforcement agency shall immediately, but no later than 48 hours after receipt of the information, initiate a criminal investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, the district attorney shall determine whether criminal prosecution is appropriate.

Other Reporting Requirements

Citation: Gen. Stat. §§ 7B-307; 143B-139.5A

If the director finds evidence that a juvenile may have been abused, the director shall notify the appropriate military authority that there is evidence of abuse or neglect of a juvenile by a parent, guardian, custodian, or caregiver with that military affiliation within 48 hours after receipt of the report.

If the report involves abuse or neglect of a juvenile or child maltreatment, as defined in § 110-1-5.3, in a child care setting, the director shall notify the Department of Health and Human Services within 24 hours or on the next working day of receipt of the report.

The Division of Social Services shall work in collaboration with the Commission of Indian Affairs, Department of Administration, and the North Carolina Directors of Social Services Association to develop, in a manner consistent with Federal law, an effective process through which the division and the Indian Tribes set forth in statute, either separately or through a central entity, establish a relationship that will enable these Tribes and Tribal councils or other Tribal organizations to receive reasonable notice of identified Indian children who are being placed in foster care or adoption or who otherwise enter the child protective services system, and to be consulted on policies and other matters pertinent to placement of Indian children in foster care or adoption.