For Mandated Reporters
State law requires persons in designated professional occupations to report suspected child abuse or neglect to police or child protection that they suspect has occurred in the past three years. These include people who work with children in health care, social services, education, mental health, child care, law enforcement, the courts, clergy, and corrections settings.
Mandated reporters should
Call 911
If you know or suspect that a child is in immediate danger, call emergency services. Do not delay.
Make a report
If you do not suspect immediate danger to the child, call 651-266-4500 as soon as you have reason to believe a child has been maltreated by a parent, guardian, family child care provider, family foster care provider, or juvenile correctional facility staff person. Make your verbal report immediately, within 24 hours. You must also file a written report within 72 hours of the verbal report (excluding weekends and holidays). If you suspect abuse or neglect of a child, you personally must make the report. You cannot tell a supervisor or co-worker.
Definitions of child abuse and neglect
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is when a parent, guardian or other person responsible for the child’s care hurts a child, causing any physical injury, other than by accident.
Sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is criminal sexual conduct with a child by a person responsible for the child’s care, or by a person who has a significant relationship to the child.
Emotional abuse
This kind of abuse or maltreatment is the consistent or deliberate infliction of mental harm on a child by a person responsible for the child’s care where there is an observable, sustained, adverse effect on the child’s physical, mental or emotional development.
Neglect
With neglect, the most common form of maltreatment, the harm results from what the parent or caretaker fails to do to provide a child with needed care and protection.
Usually, this is the failure to:
- Supply the child with the necessary food, clothing, shelter, medical or mental health care, education or appropriate supervision
- Protect the child from conditions or actions that endanger the child
- Take steps to make certain the child is educated according to the law
Educational neglect
State law requires children to attend school. For children 5-11, seven unexcused absences meet the state guidelines for educational neglect and the legal criteria for child protection involvement.
Consequences of inaction
If you are a mandated reporter and do not report suspected abuse or neglect, you could be prosecuted for committing a misdemeanor. If a child suffers substantial or great bodily harm as a result of not receiving needed treatment for the abuse or neglect because of a failure to report, it is a gross misdemeanor. If the child dies as a result, it is a felony.
Investigation outcomes
You can find out if the report has been accepted for investigation. Unless this information would be detrimental to the best interests of the child, you also will receive a summary about Ramsey County’s disposition of the report. This summary includes what was determined, the nature of the maltreatment, and the services provided.
Contact Us
Child protective services
Phone: 651-266-4500
Fax: 651-266-3911
Email: [email protected]
Child Protection Intake
160 East Kellogg Boulevard, Suite 6000
Saint Paul, MN 55101