Report and Prevent Abuse

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, report it immediately. Make the call!

How to Report Child Abuse

If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, report it immediately to the Child Abuse Hotline* or call 911.

Hotline number if you are in Missouri: 800-392-3738
For hearing and speech impaired, please contact Relay Missouri 1-800-735-2466/voice or 1-800-735-2966/text phone.
Hotline for children living in Kansas: 800-922-5330

The Children’s Division Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline Unit (CA/NHU) accepts confidential reports of suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Reports are received through a toll-free telephone line which is answered seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

If the child is in immediate danger, call 911.

What to do if you think a child has been abused:

Keep calm
Listen to the child
Reassure the child that they did the right thing by telling
Reassure the child that they are not in trouble
Answer the child's questions honestly
Report the allegations to the police and the Children's Division or Social and Rehabilitative Services (SRS)
Don't pressure the child to talk about the allegations

How Children Are Referred

Children are referred to Child Protection Center for a forensic interview (their statement about the abuse) after a report is made to the Missouri Children’s Division (Child Protective Services) or law enforcement or Children's Mercy about a child who needs help.

CPC provides a safe, child-friendly, neutral environment for children and adolescents to be interviewed about allegations of abuse.

As a part of our services, Child Protection Center:

Digitally records each interview.
Provides access to recorded interviews for law enforcement and child abuse investigators, thus reducing the number of times a child must be interviewed.
Identifies a child's mental health and medical needs and provides referrals for treatment.
Provides supportive services for the victim and family throughout the investigative process.
Coordinates a multidisciplinary response to the case.

Five Ways You Can Help Prevent Child Abuse!

Help Yourself: When problems of everyday life pile up and you feel overwhelmed - take time out so that you don’t take it out on children. Learn the facts about child abuse and pay attention to the children in your life.
Help Children: Spend time listening to a child, reading to a child or playing a computer game with a child. Children need to know that they are appreciated, loved and capable of following their dreams.
Help Others: Support others with the children in their lives. Child abuse and neglect is a community issue and we can create our homes, schools and communities to be places where children are treated with respect.
Get Involved: Ask your community leaders, groups and institutions to develop services to meet the needs of children and families. Volunteer at agencies that support children and families. Stay informed about local, state and national policies that impact children.
Report: If you have reason to believe a child has been or may be harmed, call the Child Abuse Hotline in Missouri at 1-800-392-3738 or 911 for law enforcement. In Kansas call 1-800-922-5330.

Child Protection Center is the only children’s advocacy center providing forensic interviews for alleged victims of child sexual or physical abuse in Jackson and Cass counties in Missouri.

Helpful links

Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline
http://www.dss.mo.gov/cd/can.htm (Missouri)
http://www.dcf.ks.gov/ (Kansas)

Children's Mercy Hospital & Clinics
http://www.childrensmercy.org/

Darkness to Light
Learn how to protect children from child abuse
www.darkness2light.org/

Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Crimes Against Children Unit: Crimes Against Children (CAC) and Cyber Crimes https://www.kcpd.org/crime/crime/cyber-crimes/
Dedicated to the investigation of sex crimes against children (16 and under) https://www.kcpd.org/crime/victim-resources/juvenile-section/

Missouri KidsFirst
A statewide network of individuals, programs, and organizations committed to protecting Missouri's children by improving the response to child victims and ending the cycle of abuse in our communities.
www.missourikidsfirst.org

Missouri Sex Offender Registry
http://www.mshp.dps.mo.gov/MSHPWeb/PatrolDivisions/CRID/SOR/SORPage.html

National Sex Offender Registry
www.familywatchdog.us/

National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth
www.ncsby.org

NetSmartzkids
To learn more about the internet and the possible dangers to children online:
www.netsmartzkids.org

Resources

COMMUNITY CARELINK

Frequently Asked Questions

Child sexual abuse can be defined as any sexual involvement or contact by an adult with a child. An older child or a child who is more powerful can also sexually abuse another child. Sexual contact includes inappropriate touching and sexual acts such as fondling, oral sex, and intercourse. Other types of abuse include exposure of a child to sexual movies, books, magazines and websites, taking pornographic pictures or recordings, or forcing a child to watch sexual; behavior between others. Child sexual abuse happens to both girls and boys.

The signs and symptoms of sexual abuse are most likely to be behavioral. Behavioral indicators include nightmares or sleep disorders, withdraw or aggression, sexual knowledge beyond their age, running away, promiscuous behavior, frequent truancy, regressive behavior such as bed wetting or thumb sucking, lack of interest in life, withdrawal from friends and family, loss of appetite, and persistent scratching of genital area. A child may talk about “secrets” that they have with an adult or express fear of being alone with a particular adult. Pay attention to these comments and ask questions.

Many individuals think that the primary abusers of children are strangers. This concept is often reinforced through the media and urban legends. Statistics gathered at the Child Protection Center tell a different story. In 2021, 9 percent were strangers and 91 percent were individuals known to the child. This includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives as well as family friends, neighbors and professionals. Only 4% were strangers.