When to Call

Whenever you have reason to believe that a person who cares for a child, lives with a child, or works with or around children has caused injury or harm, or puts a child at risk of sexual and/or physical injury, or has neglected the child's basic needs. If you have reason to suspect child abuse, but are not positive, make the report. If you have any doubts about whether or not it is abuse, call the hotline. They can advise you on whether the signs you have observed are abuse.

Mandated Reporters are required to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment immediately when they have reason to believe that a child known to them through their professional or official capacity may be an abused and/or neglected child.

The Call

Call the Police (911) if a child is in immediate danger or has been injured.

Your report is confidential and is not subject to public release under the Open Records Act. The law provides for immunity from civil or criminal liablity for innocent persons who report even unfounded suspicions, as long as your report is made in good faith. Your identity is kept confidential. Remember, even if you do not have all the information, we still encourage you to call. Be sure to identify if you are a mandated reporter. Please provide the following information: 

• Name, age, gender, address, etc. for all adult and child subjects.
• The nature of the suspected abuse and/or neglect.
• When and where it occurred.
• Any additional person(s) with information.
• The name(s) of the suspected perpetrator(s), their relationship to the child, and their access to the child.
• Additional information requested from the hotline worker.

After the Call

After listening to what you report, the hotline worker will then determine if the information provided meets the legal requirements for Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to initiate an investigation. If an investigation is initiated a child protection investigator will begin the investigation process within 24 hours. If the information does not meet the legal requirement to initiate an investigation you will be informed of the reasons why and referrals provided if appropriate.

Source: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) www.state.il.us/dcfs

Mandated Reporters & Moral/Ethical Reporters: School personnel, child care personnel, and members of the clergy are mandated reporters. All school employees, catechists, youth ministers, coaches, priests, deacons, seminarians, and pastoral center and parish employees who work directly with children are required to take Mandated Reporter Training within 60 days of being hired/beginning service. Archdiocesan employees and/or volunteers who do not fall under the category of mandated reporters are moral/ethical reporters.

Who needs to be informed if a teacher, principal, or DRE (Director of Religious Education) makes a call to DCFS regarding child abuse or neglect? Following a call to DCFS, a teacher is to report the call to the principal. The principal, in turn, is to inform the pastor and fax a copy of the completed CANTS 5 form to DCFS and to his/her assistant superintendent. When a religious education instructor calls DCFS, they next inform the DRE who, in turn, notifies the pastor and the Office for Catechesis.

When does a principal, pastor, or DRE call DCFS if an allegation of abuse is made against a teacher, employee, or volunteer religious educator? Call DCFS immediately when the alleged abuse is reported or when you become aware of it. DO NOT INVESTIGATE. Any investigation done locally may interfere with the case.

Who needs to be informed when a call is placed to DCFS about sexual abuse of a cleric, employee, or volunteer? After calling DCFS, immediately call the Office for Child Abuse and Investigations and Review at 312.534.5205. A DRE then notifies the pastor (unless involved), parent (unless involved), and the Office for Catechesis. A principal notifies the pastor (unless involved), parents (unless involved), and the assistant superintendent  who, in turn, notifies the superintendent of schools.

What if a report of physical abuse or neglect is made to DCFS on a pastor or principal? If the call is accepted by DCFS, the pastor or principal will be contacted directly by DCFS. The person calling in an allegation of abuse against a priest calls the Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review; against a principal calls the Office for Catholic Schools; against a DRE calls the pastor and the Office for Catechesis.  

What if a DCFS report is unfounded? The mandated reporter will receive in written notification from DCFS at the conclusion of the investigation. The reporter is to keep a copy for the school/parish and send a copy to the appropriate archdiocesan office: Office for Catholic Schools, Child Abuse Investigations and Review, etc. Generally, that is the end of the case. There are cases when the archdiocese follows up to look into policy or Code of Conduct violations to insure the safety of children.

The Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Reviews is available to all individuals who choose to report their abuse as children or who have the knowledge of the abuse of children in our church by a cleric (priest or deacon), a  member of a religious congregation, a lay employee, or a volunteer. The staff also collaborates with a number of other Archdiocesan offices to help investigate and process allegations received in a timely fashion.

In cases where the reported abuse did not take place by personnel of this archdiocese, the staff will provide individuals with the necessary information and support so that the report can be made to the appropriate entity and/or public authority.

Leah McCluskey, MSW LSW Director

Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review

312.534.5205

800.994.6200

lmccluskey@archchicago.org

Jennifer Hibben, MSW, LSW, Assistant Director

Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review

312.534.8793

jhibben@archchicago.org