The following Child Welfare Information Gateway products and other resources offer information about State laws related to reporting and responding to child abuse and neglect.
State Statutes Series
Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 333KB) |
| Year Published | 2019 |
Discusses laws that require members of the clergy to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. The issue of whether a member of the clergy can claim privileged communications as a reason for not reporting also is discussed. Full-text excerpts of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.
Cross-Reporting Among Responders to Child Abuse and Neglect
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 767KB) |
| Year Published | 2016 |
Discusses State laws that authorize cross-reporting and information sharing among the agencies that must respond to reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. Typically, reports are shared among social services agencies, law enforcement departments, and prosecutors' offices. Full-text excerpts of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.
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.
Definitions of Human Trafficking
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 1,137KB) |
| Year Published | 2016 |
Presents State criminal laws that define human trafficking, including involuntary servitude, forced labor and services, and sex trafficking of minors. Federal definitions of human trafficking and the inclusion of trafficking in civil child abuse definitions also are discussed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.
Immunity for Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 313KB) |
| Year Published | 2019 |
Summarizes State laws on immunity from prosecution for persons who in good faith report suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. Immunity statutes protect both mandatory and voluntary reporters from civil or criminal liability that they might otherwise incur. The publication also discusses the provision of immunity for taking photographs or x-rays, performing medical examinations or tests, and participating in the investigation or prosecution of child abuse or neglect cases. Laws for all 50 States and territories are included.
Making and Screening Reports of Child Abuse and Neglect
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 1,255KB) |
| Year Published | 2017 |
Discusses state laws and regulations that specify the procedures that state child protection agencies must follow when responding to reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. The issues addressed include individual responsibility to report, content of reports, screening reports, investigation procedures, timeframes for completing investigations, and classification of investigative findings. Special procedures for handling child fatalities and drug-exposed children also are addressed. Summaries of laws for all states and U.S. territories are included.
Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 702KB) |
| Year Published | 2019 |
Discusses laws that designate the groups of professionals that are required to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. The factsheet also addresses reporting by other persons, the responsibilities of institutions in making reports, standards for making a report, and confidentiality of the reporter's identity. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories also are included.
Penalties for Failure to Report and False Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 333KB) |
| Year Published | 2019 |
Discusses laws that impose penalties, in the form of fines, jail time, or both, on mandatory reporters who fail to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect as required by the reporting laws. State laws also may impose penalties on any person who knowingly makes a false report of abuse or neglect. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.
Representation of Children in Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 894KB) |
| Year Published | 2018 |
Examines State laws that specify when a state court must provide legal representation for a child involved in child abuse and neglect proceedings and whether that representative must be an attorney, guardian ad litem, or a court-appointed special advocate. The qualifications, training, specific duties, and compensation of the representative also are addressed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.
Responding to Child Victims of Human Trafficking
| Series Title | State Statutes |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 886KB) |
| Year Published | 2019 |
Provides an overview of State laws related to how States must respond to meet the needs of children who have been subjected to sex trafficking. The issues discussed include the respective duties of child welfare and law enforcement agencies, training requirements, diversion of child victims from prosecution to appropriate services, the array of services provided, and ways of funding services and programs for victims. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.
Related resources
State Child Welfare Legislation 2010 and 2011
National Conference of State Legislatures (2012)
Describes significant State legislation related to child welfare issues enacted in 2010 and 2011, including citations and summaries of specific child welfare-related laws in each State.
Statutes of Limitation for Prosecution of Offenses Against Children (PDF - 461 KB)
National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse (2012)
Includes State statutes that extend or eliminate time limitations for charging criminal offenses related to child victims.