Reporting Child Abuse?

      If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, please report it.

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If it is an emergency, please call 911

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In Texas

Call the toll-free, 24-hour Texas abuse hotline

at 1-800-252-5400 or  report online.

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Out of State

Please call the

National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.

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For more information about services in your area call   211

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According to the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services, there are 4 types of child abuse:

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PHYSICAL

Physical Abuse is physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child, or the genuine threat of substantial harm from physical injury to the child. The physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) can result from punching, beating, shaking, kicking, biting, throwing, stabbing, hitting, burning, choking, or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child.

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NEGLECT 

Neglect is failure to provide for a child’s basic needs necessary to sustain the life or health of the child, excluding failure caused primarily by financial inability unless relief services have been offered and refused.

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SEXUAL

Sexual abuse includes fondling a child's genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or producing pornographic materials.

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EMOTIONAL  ABUSE

Emotional Abuse is mental or emotional injury that results in an observable and material impairment in a child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning. It includes extreme forms of punishment such as confining a child in a dark closet, habitual scapegoating, belittling, and rejecting treatment for a child.

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​Source:   DFPS - Recognize the Signs of Child Abuse