CHILD SAFETY & PROTECTION

How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect

Offices within local communities are responsible for receiving and investigating reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Reports are received by Child Protective Services (CPS) located in each community office and assessed to determine whether the report meets the legal definition of abuse or neglect and how dangerous the situation is.

Children's Administration offers several ways to report abuse:

Daytime - Find your local office number to report abuse or neglect in your area.

Nights & Weekends - call 1-800-562-5624 to report abuse during the evening or on weekends.

Hotline - call 1-866-ENDHARM (1-866-363-4276), Washington State's toll-free, 24 hour, 7 day-a-week hotline that will connect you directly to the appropriate local office to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

TTY Callers - call 1-800-624-6186 to place a direct TTY call.

Questions that will be asked when you call

1. The name, address and age of the child.
2. The name and address of the child's parent, guardian or other persons having custody of the child.
3. The nature and extent of the abuse or neglect.
4. Any evidence of previous incidences.
5. Any other information which may be helpful in establishing the cause of the child's abuse or neglect and the identity of the perpetrator.

You do not need to have all of the above information when you call to make a report, but the more accurate information you can provide, the better equipped the offices will be to assess the child's risk.