What should I do if I think a child has been abused or neglected?

Call the local Child Protective Services agency or Department of Human Services. If you have concerns about a family residing in Lucas County, call Children Services 24 hours a day at (419) 213-CARE (2273). You will be connected to a specialist in the Intake department.

What if the person causing the harm or neglect is someone I know? Can I call anonymously?

We understand that you may be reluctant to tell us who you are, or even hesitant about calling at all. Reporting child abuse is not pleasant, especially when it involves the children of a relative, neighbor or friend. However, the worst thing you can do is nothing. Before you make the decision not to call, remember that the abuse or neglect the child may be experiencing will likely continue if you fail to act.

You can make a report anonymously, but we prefer that you give us your name. Your identity will be kept confidential; we will not give your name to the person allegedly harming the child, nor to the child’s family. We may just need to follow up with you if we need additional information to investigate your report.

You may wonder about reporting suspected abuse or neglect via email or social media.

We discourage this for three reasons. First, social media or email accounts may not be monitored 24/7. Secondly, this type of interaction makes it difficult for our Intake specialists to ask you specific questions about the child’s situation. You might think a nugget of information is unimportant, but it might turn out to be critical to our caseworkers as they assess the situation. Finally, the Ohio Revised Code 2151.421(C) clearly states that reports of suspected abuse or neglect, “shall be made forthwith either by telephone or in person and shall be followed by a written report, if requested by the receiving agency or officer.”