Developing the Monitoring Behaviors Protocol
Your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO) should develop a protocol to keep staff and volunteers accountable for their behaviors. Identify the…
Home / Reporting / How to Report Child Sexual Abuse
When a member of your staff suspects that a child is being abused and/or neglected, they are required to immediately call your local Department of Children and Families (DCF) Area Office and ask for the Screening Unit. You can find a directory of the DCF Area Offices and a copy of the 51A report form on the Department of Children and Families (DCF) website. These offices are staffed between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. To make a report at any other time, including after 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays, call the Child-At-Risk Hotline at 800-792-5200. Reporters are also required by law to mail or fax a written report to DCF (51A report form) within 48 hours after making the verbal report.
The DCF Protective Intake Policy is divided into two phases: (1) the screening of all reports; and (2) a response to any report that is screened in. All screened-in reports are now investigated. In our chart, What Happens When DCF Receives a 51A Report?, you’ll find a detailed description of what happens when a report is made to DCF, and a description of the investigative process, and its timelines and steps.
When the call is made, and the 51A form is filled out, the reporter should be prepared to provide the following information, if known:
If you do not have all this information, do not let this keep you from filing. File with what information you do have and let the professionals make their determinations.
Monitoring Behavior
Your Youth-Serving Organization (YSO) should develop a protocol to keep staff and volunteers accountable for their behaviors. Identify the…
Training
Training programs are offered to staff at least annually to heighten awareness of your commitment to safety and help create a culture of…
Sustainability
Why Collect Data? “Mathematics” and “measurement” are words that send many of us scurrying for cover, but in the world of organizational…
Policies & Procedures
Sample Self-Audit Form for YSOs You can use the following “Self-Audit” form to take an inventory of your youth-serving organization’s abuse…
Code of Conduct
Keep in mind that a Code of Conduct is limited; it usually refers only to the most common and expected behaviors staff/volunteers may encounter each…
Training
Ideally, all children/youth should receive training and education on issues of personal safety and abuse prevention. Personal safety and child…
Code of Conduct
Your Code of Conduct will provide your staff, volunteers, and others responsible for children and youth with very specific guidelines that will…
Training
Training Contractors, Consultants, and Interns When it comes to training your contractors, consultants, and interns, there is certain core…
Code of Conduct
Once your Code of Conduct is in place, it’s important to implement it through training and by disseminating the information widely, in a variety…
Reporting
Staff and volunteers at the YSO (Youth-Serving Organization) should be proficient in discussing abuse and responding to disclosures of abuse. YSO…
Customized child sexual abuse prevention guidelines to meet the unique needs of any organization that serves children.
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