Can I make an anonymous report of abuse?

Many states accept anonymous reports of alleged child abuse and neglect. Reporting suspected child abuse and neglect is everyone's responsibility. If you have any concerns about a child’s welfare, you should contact the appropriate authorities in the state where the child resides. Each state has trained professionals who can evaluate the situation and determine whether intervention and services are needed. Most states have a toll-free number to call to report suspected abuse. Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children's Bureau, provides a list of state contacts and related organizations .

All states are required to preserve the confidentiality of child maltreatment reports except in certain limited circumstances (see Information Gateway's publication Disclosure of Confidential Child Abuse and Neglect Records ). Confidentiality refers to protecting the information from public view, including protecting the identity of the reporter from the person suspected of abuse or neglect.

Another resource for information on how and where to file a report of suspected child abuse and neglect is the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline. Childhelp can be reached 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, at its toll-free number, 1.800.4-A-CHILD (1.800.422.4453), and/or via text messaging or chat .