Who should report child abuse?

YOU! If you are an employee of RCOE you are a mandated reporter. When in doubt, report it!

Failure to report could result in a misdemeanor and is punishable by confinement in the county jail for a term not to exceed six months or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or both.

What is child abuse?

If you reasonably suspect that a child is or has experienced…

• unexplained or unusual injuries
• sexual assault, abuse, grooming, exploitation, or trafficking
• the willful cruelty and/or unjustifiable punishment, verbal, psychological, or emotional abuse
• corporal punishment involving injury or traumatic condition
• neglect:
  • physical - willfully depriving food, clothing, reasonable hygiene, shelter, and supervision
  • medical - willfully depriving medical attention

*A child is a person under the age of 18.

How to report abuse?

STEP 1:

Immediately contact your local law enforcement through their non-emergency line: Law Enforcement Contact Information by School District (PDF).

STEP 2:

Immediately report abuse to the Suspected Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-442-4918 (24-hour, 7day-a-week, 365 days a year).

STEP 3:

Contact RCOE Personnel Services Department 1-951-826-6676 if the allegation of abuse is against an employee, volunteer, etc. Personnel Services will be responsible for working with law enforcement and conducting an employee investigation.

STEP 4:

Within 36 hours, you are also required to submit a written or electronic follow-up report using the Suspected Child Abuse Report form. The law enforcement offices and the CPS agent will provide an email/mailing address to submit the form to Child Protective Services. You must also submit a copy of the report to the law enforcement agent contacted. 

To prepare for making a report, be clear, provide names, addresses, and ages, if possible.

What happens after I make a report?

Once a report is made law enforcement and Child Protective Services will follow their protocols.

Mandated reporters are not liable either in civil damages or from criminal prosecution as a result of making a report, unless it can be proven that a false report was made, and that the reporter knew the report to be false when filed. The name of the reporting party is confidential.

Additional Resources and Services

• Riverside County Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-442-4918
• Outside the Riverside County area, Child Help National Abuse Hotline 1-800-422-4453
• National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678