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Report Suspected Abuse or Neglect

Child Abuse Hotline
(661) 631-6011 (Countywide)
(760) 375-6049 (Ridgecrest)
(Report 24 hours per day, 7 days per week)
For all emergencies call 911

If you are calling about child abuse outside of Kern County please check the child abuse hotline for all California counties.

Mandated Reporters

To report child abuse you MUST follow the steps below. 

Step one: Call the CPS hotline at 661-631-6011 to make a verbal report.

Step two: Follow up with the written Suspected Child Abuse Report (SCAR) within 36 hours of phone call per mandated reporter guidelines. Please include the name of the social worker the report was made to in section B, under “official contacted.” 

• Mandated Reporter Manual, "A Guide to Mandated Reporting Responsibilities"
• California Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training
• Network for Children Child Abuse Prevention

Mandated Reporters may obtain forms here:

• Suspected Child Abuse Report - English Fillable Form
  • Suspected Child Abuse Report - Multiple Languages (After clicking link, scroll down to see full list of languages) 
• California Department of Justice Child Protection Program Forms

Informacion en Espanol sobre informes obligatorios 

• Que sucede cuando se hace un reporte?
• Qué Es Abuso Infantil Y Negligencia?

Once you've completed the steps above you may fax your referral to (661) 631-6568 during regular business hours.

What Is Child Abuse & Neglect?

Child abuse and neglect can be categorized as follows:

• Sexual Abuse: any sexual act by an adult in the presence of a child or to a child
• Physical Abuse: bodily injury inflicted non-accidentally on a child by a parent, guardian or other adult
• Emotional Abuse: non-physical mistreatment that endangers a child's emotional health
• General Neglect: any mistreatment that threatens the child's health, safety or welfare, such as failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical treatment or supervision where no physical injury to the child has occurred
• Severe Neglect: refers to situations where the child's health and life is endangered, including severe malnutrition and failure to thrive
• Exploitation: forcing or coercing a child into performing activities that are beyond the child's capabilities or which are illegal or degrading

Common Indicators of Child Abuse & Neglect

• Repeated or suspicious injuries or ‘accidents’
• Neglected appearance: dirty and hungry, not dressed appropriately for the weather
• Passive or withdrawn behavior
• Disruptive behavior at home or school
• Sudden personality change
• Sexual acting out or inappropriate sexual knowledge
• Sudden onset of eating disorders
• Child lacking in medical or dental care
• Disclosure of abuse or neglect by the child

While some of these factors may exist in any home, it is the extreme or persistent presence of these factors that indicate a degree of abuse or neglect. A messy or untidy home does not necessarily mean the home is unfit or that the child is a victim of neglect.

Trained investigators and medical professionals have a great deal of knowledge about the nature of a particular injury to a child. This information is used to distinguish accidental injuries from suspected physical abuse.

When you report suspected child abuse or neglect, please provide as much information as possible with regard to the situation: child's name, parent's name, address, phone number and the reason why you are concerned. You do not have to give your name, but it helps us if we have further questions. If you do give us your name, your identity is kept strictly confidential.

What Happens After I Make A Report?

Once a report of suspected child abuse or neglect has been made, various steps are taken as a part of the resolution process. These steps generally involve the Child Welfare Services and Juvenile Court. The resolution process consists of four main components:

1. Emergency Response: The Child Welfare Service's investigation will determine if abuse or neglect is occurring, if a child is at risk in the home and if protective custody is necessary
2. Family Maintenance: To provide support services to prevent abuse and/or neglect while the child continues to live in his or her own home
3. Family Reunification: To provide support services to the family while the child is in temporary out-of-home care [foster care or placed with relatives.] These services include counseling, parent training and referrals to other community resources, to address precipitating factors such as substance abuse or domestic violence.
4. Permanent Placement: This occurs when children cannot be returned to their families. These children are referred for permanent placement through adoptions, legal guardianship or long-term foster care.

Child abuse and neglect is a community problem and a community responsibility. Until you make a commitment, there can be no solution.