Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect (younger than 18 years of age)

412-473-2000 or 1-800-932-0313

Everyone is encouraged to call

412-473-2000 or 1-800-932-0313* with concerns about the well-being of a person under the age of 18 years. These numbers answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Mandated reporters are requested to use the PA Child Welfare Portal to report suspected abuse.

When you report child abuse or neglect, you will be asked for information such as

  • the name of the child 
  • the child's home address 
  • the age of the child 
  • the name of the child's primary caregiver
  • the concerns you have that prompted you to make the call 

You can make the call anonymously and do not have to give your name or contact information.

*The Pennsylvania ChildLine and Abuse Registry is known as "ChildLine." ChildLine accepts and assigns reports of child abuse to county children and youth agencies for investigation. ChildLine may also provide information and referral services for families and children.

Professionals Who Interact with Children

Some people must report their concerns about a child's well-being and are called mandated reporters. Find out if you are a mandated reporter and how to get training. 
Learn more  

What is Child Abuse?

As defined by the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL), the term child abuse shall mean intentionally, knowingly or recklessly doing any of the following to a child 18 years of age or younger

  • Causing bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act
  • Fabricating, feigning or intentionally exaggerating or inducing a medical symptom or disease which results in a potentially harmful medical evaluation or treatment to the child through any recent act
  • Causing or substantially contributing to serious mental injury to a child through any act or failure to act or a series of such acts or failures to act
  • Causing sexual abuse or exploitation of a child through any act or failure to act
  • Creating a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act
  • Creating a likelihood of sexual abuse or exploitation of a child through any recent act or failure to act
  • Causing serious physical neglect of a child
  • Engaging in any of the following recent acts
    • Kicking, biting, throwing, burning, stabbing or cutting a child in a manner that endangers the child
    • Unreasonably restraining or confining a child, based on consideration of the method, location or the duration of the restraint or confinement
    • Forcefully shaking a child under one year of age
    • Forcefully slapping or otherwise striking a child under one year of age
    • Interfering with the breathing of a child
    • Causing a child to be present at a location while a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 7508.2 (relating to operation of methamphetamine laboratory) is occurring, provided that the violation is being investigated by law enforcement
    • Leaving a child unsupervised with an individual, other than the child's parent, who the actor knows or reasonably should have known: § Is required to register as a Tier II or Tier III sexual offender under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch.97 Subch. H (relating to registration of sexual offenders), where the victim of the sexual offense was under 18 years of age when the crime was committed. § Has been determined to be a sexually violent predator under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.24 (relating to assessments) or any of its predecessors. § Has been determined to be a sexually violent delinquent child as defined in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions)
  • Causing the death of the child through any act or failure to act
  • Engaging a child in a severe form of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking, as those terms are defined under section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 1466, 22 U.S.C. § 7102)

The Allegheny County DHS Office of Children, Youth and Families investigates reports of child abuse and gets involved when the accused is a perpetrator according to the CPSL.

What is the Definition of Perpetrator?

A perpetrator, as defined by the CPSL, is a person who has committed child abuse as defined above. They may be

  • a parent of the child
  • a spouse or former spouse of the child's parent
  • a paramour or former paramour of the child's parent
  • a person 14 years of age or older and responsible for the child's welfare (including teachers)
  • an individual 14 years of age or older who resides in the same home as the child
  • an individual 18 years of age or older who does not reside in the same home as the child but is related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity by birth or adoption to the child
  • an individual 18 years of age or older who engages a child in severe forms of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking, as those terms are defined under section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 1466, 22 U.S.C. § 7102)

Only the following may be considered a perpetrator for failing to act, as provided in this section

  • a parent of the child
  • a spouse or former spouse of the child's parent
  • a paramour or former paramour of the child's parent
  • a person 18 years of age or older and responsible for the child's welfare
  • a person 18 years of age or older who resides in the same home as the child.

Additional Resources  

You can find the meaning of many of the terms above in the Definitions section of the CPSL. Find it on the Pennsylvania Legislature website. Click on Consolidated Statutes, then search for Title 23, Chapter 63, Section 6303.  

 

Human Services (DHS)

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