Protecting Children - Reporting Child Abuse


	Protecting Children - Reporting Child Abuse
Home What is Child Abuse? Reporting Child Abuse What happens if your family is reported to CAS? FAQ	If you know or have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is being neglected or abused, immediately contact the Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society at 1-800-668-5094. The Society is available to take calls 24 hours a day. The Child and Family Services Act (CFSA) recognizes that every one of us has a responsibility for the welfare of children. The duty to report is the obligation of members of the public, including professionals, to report if they suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection. The CFSA has defined the term “child in need of protection” and has set out what must be reported to a CAS. The paramount purpose of the CFSA is to promote the best interests, protection and welfare of children. “Reasonable Grounds” means that a person does not need to be positive that a child is or may be in need of protection. It is just what an average person, given his or her experience, background and/or training, exercising their honest judgment, would suspect. Your responsibility to report to a CAS Professionals and officials duty to report to a CAS Protection from liability What do you do if a child tells you about abuse? Your responsibility to report to a CAS If a person has reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection, that person must promptly report the suspicion and the information to a CAS. If a person has made a previous report about a child and has reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection, that person must make a further report to a CAS. The person must make the report directly to the CAS and should not rely on another person to report on his or her behalf. Professionals and officials duty to report to a CAS Professional persons have the same duty as any member of the public to report a suspicion that a child is or may be in need of protection. The Child and Family Services Act recognizes that persons working closely with children have a special awareness of the signs of child abuse and neglect, and a particular responsibility to report their suspicions. Failure to report is an offence. Any professional or official who fails to report a suspicion that a child is or may be in need of protection, where the information on which that suspicion is based was obtained in the course of his or her professional or official duties is liable, upon conviction, to a fine up to $1000.00. (Back) Protection from liability If a civil action is brought against a person who made a report, that person will be protected unless he or she acted maliciously or without reasonable grounds for his or her suspicion. What do you do if a child tells you about abuse? Sometimes a child who is being abused will tell an adult. If this happens to you: stay calm listen to the child let the child know you believe him or her reassure the child tell the child you’re sorry it happened and let them know it’s not his or her fault don’t promise to keep it a secret don’t say everything will be fine now - it may take a lot of time before it is Contact a Children’s Aid Society (Back)
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