Child Abuse and Neglect
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the Massachusetts state agency responsible for protecting children from child abuse and neglect. To report abuse or neglect, call the Child-at-Risk Hotline anytime of the day or night at 800-792-5200.
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DCF is committed to protecting children and strengthening families. When children are abused or neglected by the people responsible for caring for them, DCF will intervene to ensure the safety of the children.
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These publications provide information to assist individuals in recognizing, reporting, and preventing child abuse and neglect.
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Definitions of various types of child abuse and neglect are listed here per the Department of Children and Families regulations 110 CMR, section 2.00.
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This Guide explains the role of the DCF social worker and other staff who team together to serve you and your family, why an investigation may be taking place, a family's options and rights during the investigation, the potential outcomes of an investigation, as well as other related procedures and rights involving the Family Assessment, fair hearings, and the grievance process.
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DCF relies on reports from professionals and other concerned individuals to learn about children who may need protection. DCF receives reports on more than 100,000 children each year. Certain professionals are mandated to report child abuse and neglect. However, anyone can report child abuse and neglect...
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All reports of abuse or neglect received by DCF are processed by appropriately trained, experienced staff. Based on the information received, DCF will determine whether or not there is reasonable cause to believe the reported children have been abused or neglected by their parents or caretakers. Read more here to understand the screening and investigation process.
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While each case of child abuse or neglect is individual and specific to the situation at hand, there are often certain recognizable physical and behavioral indicators of child abuse or neglect. The following signs, by themselves, may not be conclusive evidence of a problem, but they serve as indicators of the possibility that a problem exists.
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