To report suspected child abuse, call:

ChildLine: 1-800-932-0313

Act 127 of 1998 amended the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) with this purpose:

The act also strengthened the CPSL by providing for more cooperation between county agencies and law enforcement officials when referring and investigating reports of suspected child abuse. Pennsylvania law defines child abuse as any of the following when committed upon a child under 18 years of age by a perpetrator^1.

1. Any recent act or failure to act which causes non-accidental serious physical injury.
2. An act or failure to act which causes non-accidental serious mental injury or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.
3. Any recent act, failure to act or series of such acts or failures to act which creates an imminent risk of serious physical injury, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.
4. Serious physical neglect which endangers a child’s life or development or impairs a child’s functioning.

The Department of Public Welfare’s (DPW) ChildLine and Abuse Registry (800-932-0313) is the central clearinghouse for all investigated reports. Professionals who come into contact with children are required to report when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child coming before them in their professional capacity is an abused child. In addition, any person may report suspected abuse, even if the individual wishes to remain anonymous.

Staff of the county agencies investigates reports of suspected abuse. When the alleged perpetrator is an agent or employee of the county children and youth agency, regional office staff from DPW’s Office of Children,Youth and Families (OCYF) conduct the investigation. The investigation must determine within 30 days whether the report is:

FOUNDED – there is a judicial adjudication that the child was abused;

INDICATED – county agency or regional staff find abuse has occurred based on medical evidence, the child protective service investigation or an admission by the perpetrator; or

UNFOUNDED – there is a lack of evidence that the child was abused.

"Founded" and "Indicated" reports of abuse will be referred to as "Substantiated" reports. Substantiated reports are kept on file at both ChildLine and the county agencies until the victim reaches 23 years of age. ChildLine keeps the perpetrator’s information on file indefinitely if the date of birth or social security number of the perpetrator is known. Act 127 of 1998 requires that unfounded reports be kept on file for one year from the date of the report and be destroyed within 120 days following the one-year period.

1. A perpetrator is defined as a parent, paramour of a parent, individual (age 14 or older) residing in the same home as a child, or a person responsible for the welfare of a child, including a person who provides mental health diagnosis or treatment.