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Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect

CODE OF MARYLAND REGULATIONS, Section 07.02.07 Requires reporting child abuse or neglect in the following manner:

1. An individual shall immediately report suspected child abuse or neglect to the local department of social services, or report the suspected incident to a local law enforcement agency.
2. Health practitioners, educators, human service workers, and police officers are required to report, both orally and in writing, any suspected child abuse or neglect, with oral report being made immediately and the written report being made within 48 hours of the contact which disclosed the suspected abuse or neglect.
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A report shall include:

1. The name and home address of the child and the parent or other individual responsible for the care of the child;
2. The present location of the child;
3. The age of the child;
4. The names and ages of other children in the home;
5. The nature and extent of injuries or sexual abuse or neglect of the child, including any information known to the individual making the report of previous possible physical or sexual abuse or neglect;
6. The information available to the individual reporting:
7. Which might aid in establishing the cause of the injury or neglect;
8. About the identity of the individual or individuals responsible for abuse or neglect; and
9. If reporting abuse or neglect of a child involving mental injury, a description of the substantial impairment of the child's mental or psychological ability to function that was observed and identified, and why it is believed to be attributable to an act of maltreatment or omission of proper care and attention.
10. Reports of abuse shall be made to the local departments of social services or the appropriate law enforcement agency. Reports of neglect shall be made to local departments of social services.
11. An employee of a local department of social services who receives a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, shall report the information to the protective services unit within the local department at once so as to initiate prompt handling of the report of suspected child abuse or neglect.

Click here to find more contact information: Address and phone numbers of social services offices across the state.

Mandated Reporters

Maryland Law requires every health practitioner, educator, human service worker, or police officer to report suspected child abuse and neglect, it does NOT require PROOF that abuse or neglect has occurred before reporting. Incidents are to be reported as soon as they are suspected. Waiting for proof may involve grave risk to the child and impede services to the family. Proof may be long in coming, witnesses to child abuse and neglect are rare, and the child’s testimony may be disbelieved or inadmissible.

Health practitioners and social workers, among others, who knowingly fail to report suspected abuse of a child may be subject to professional sanctions by their licensing boards. For those who do report, the law provides protection for persons who make "good faith" reports are immune from civil liability and criminal penalty.

According to Section 5-704 (b), professionals mandated to report, including health practitioners and human service workers are required to make:

An oral and written report to the local department of social services (or in abuse cases to either the local law enforcement department (and, in abuse cases, to the local State’s Attorney) not later than 48 hours after the contact, examination, treatment or other circumstances that caused the individual to believe that the child had been subjected to abuse or neglect. If a copy of the report is placed in the patient' medical record (a sample Child Abuse Reporting Form (DHR/SSA 180) can be found in Appendix A), information contained in the report shall only be disclosed in accordance with the Confidentiality Law regarding child abuse and neglect (Article 88A§6(b).) See below for further information.

Click here to print out the: CHILD ABUSE REPORTING FORM (DHR/SSA 180) AND INSTRUCTIONS (pdf)

1. After completing this form Contact Us at: