Your Report Could Save A Life

    • Unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes

    • Fading bruises or other marks

    • Seems frightened of the parents and protests or cries when it is time to go home

    • Shrinks at the approach of adults

    • Reports injury by a parent or another adult caregiver

    • Abuses animals or pets

    • Frequent absences from school

    • Begs or steals food or money

    • Lacks needed medical or dental care, immunizations, or glasses

    • Is consistently dirty and has bad body odor

    • Abuses alcohol or other drugs

    • Lacks sufficient clothing for the weather

    • States that there is no one at home to provide care

    • Difficulty walking or sitting

    • Suddenly refuses to change for gym or to participate in physical activities

    • Reports nightmares or bedwetting

    • Sudden change in appetite

    • Bizarre, sophisticated, or unusual sexual knowledge or behavior

    • Becomes pregnant or contracts a venereal disease, particularly if under age 14

    • Runs away

    • Reports sexual abuse by a parent or another adult caregiver

    • Attaches very quickly to strangers or new adults

    • Extremes in behavior, such as overly compliant or demanding behavior, extreme passivity, or aggression

    • Inappropriately adult (e.g. parenting other children) or inappropriately infantile (e.g. frequently rocking or head-banging) behavior

    • Delayed physical or emotional development

    • Has attempted suicide

    • Reports a lack of attachment to the parent

You should report suspected abuse or neglect to your local department of social services or to a local law enforcement agency.

All Maryland citizens should report suspected abuse or neglect to the local department of social services or to a local law enforcement agency. Ensuring the safety of Maryland’s children is an obligation shared by all citizens and organizations. If you are a health care practitioner, educator, human service worker, or law enforcement officer, you are required by law to report both orally and in writing any suspected child abuse or neglect.You should report your suspicion to the local department in the jurisdiction where you believe the abuse or neglect took or is taking place. Oral reports should be made immediately. A mandated reporter must also complete a written report within 48 hours of contact which discloses the suspected abuse or neglect.

When making a report of suspected abuse, the report must include at minimal:

The name and home address of the child and the parent or other individuals responsible for the care of the child;

  • The present location of the child;

  • The age of the child (or approximate age);

  • Names and ages of other children in the home;

  • The nature and extent of injuries or sexual abuse or neglect of the child;

  • Any information relayed by the individual making the report of previous possible physical or sexual abuse or neglect;

  • Information available to the individual reporting that might aid in establishing the cause of the injury or neglect;

  • The identity of the individual or individuals responsible for abuse or neglect

WHAT HAPPENS

NEXT?

The person receiving your report will request additional information in order to obtain the most comprehensive and complete information possible to inform decision-making and subsequent agency actions. Because Child Protective Services seeks to affect both safety and change, information on the family’s strengths as well as difficulties will be requested. If reporting abuse or neglect of a child involving mental injury, a description of the substantial impairment of the child’s mental or psychological ability to function that was observed and identified and why it is believed to be attributable to an act of maltreatment or omission of proper care and attention. All reports of suspected child abuse are immune from civil liability unless they are purposefully erroneous or malicious.

**The above information is courtesy of the Maryland Department of Human Resources**