Reporting child abuse
In Florida, more than a million children are victims of child abuse and neglect each year.
Many victims don’t receive help because the crimes against them are not reported. These abused and neglected children span all ages, races, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. Child maltreatment includes actions that result in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation of a child under age 18 by a parent or caretaker.
Don’t hesitate to report child abuse. Penalties for those who suspect a child is being abused but fail to report it have been increased from a misdemeanor to a felony. Financial penalties also have increased.
How the process works
When parents don’t protect their children, Florida Department of Children and Family Services step in to help, providing a full spectrum of services, from parenting classes and respite care to transportation and childcare.
But when children have to be removed, ChildNet manages a network of child welfare services providers in Palm Beach County that handle foster care, adoption, and family preservation services.
ChildNet case workers then bring children to Grandma’s Place for emergency shelter needs. Most of the children stay at Grandma’s Place for short periods of time to allow case workers to find long-term homes while the abuse and neglect cases move through the system.
Links of Interest
- The Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers — http://www.fncac.org
- Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County — http://www.cscpbc.org/
- Statewide Child Abuse Death Review Committee — http://www.flcadr.com/
- ChildNet — http://www.childnet.us