Report Child Abuse
TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE CALL 1-800-323-7711
Child Abuse Hotline
The Child Abuse Hotline is available 24hrs a day, every day to receive reports and investigate suspected child abuse. Community members have an important role in protecting children from abuse and neglect. If you suspect that a child you know is being abused, neglected, or exploited you can make a referral by calling:
Toll Free: 1-800-323-7711
Local Calls: (530) 527-1911
Fax: (530) 527-7640
Child Protective Services’ (CPS) goal is to ensure the safety of children. CPS strives to keep children in their own home whenever it is safe. When it is determined that a child cannot remain safely at home CPS seeks to develop an alternate plan that meets the child’s needs in the least restrictive manner as quickly as possible.
When a referral is received, CPS staff obtains facts from the person making the referral to determine if the referral alleges abuse, neglect, or exploitation and if an in-person response is indicated. CPS workers will utilize Structured Decision making (SDM) tools and the Differential Response model to aid in this determination and decide what kind of response would best serve the needs of the child and family.
Families who are facing the removal of their child from their home will be invited to participate in a Team Decision making meeting to help determine if any measures can be taken to prevent removal and ensure the child’s safety at home. If the circumstances of a referral necessitate immediate removal of the child from the family home then the family will be invited to a different kind of Team Decision making meeting to help determine if the child can safely return home or, if not, where will the child live while the parents address the concerns at hand.
CPS provides services to children and their families when children are victims of, or at risk of, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or parental absence. California law defines child abuse as any of the following:
- A child is physically injured by other than accidental means.
- A child is subjected to willful cruelty or unjustifiable punishment.
- A child is abused or exploited sexually.
- A child is neglected by a parent or caretaker who fails to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care or supervision.