Child abuse is a serious offense, and Greene County is making every effort to crack down on it. Suspected child abuse can be reported to county officials using Pennsylvania's ChildLine system, which provides an outlet for reporting suspected child abuse. With one phone call to a 24/7 hotline, Pennsylvania residents can launch an investigation against an individual in the state.
Unfortunately, not all child abuse accusations are founded. When someone is falsely accused, the entire process can be disruptive. Even if the investigation goes in the accused party's favor, simply having the state come after you with a microscope can be stressful.
The LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team regularly works with Greene County residents facing an investigation of child abuse. We work with those who are under investigation, as well as residents who've found themselves on the ChildLine registry. If you've been accused of child abuse, call us at 888-535-3686 or tell us a little about your case through our confidential form, and we'll be in touch.
What Is ChildLine?
ChildLine is a statewide program in Pennsylvania that exists to protect children throughout the state. Residents can call 1-800-932-0313 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to report suspected child abuse. A class of residents known as mandated reporters can report suspected abuse through the Child Welfare Portal.
If a report leads to someone being added to the ChildLine registry, the consequences can not only be devastating but long-lasting. Employers in certain industries require each employee to pass a state-mandated “clearance,” and the list of jobs requiring those clearances is long. If your name is listed in the registry, you might not even work with children and still be impacted by laws regarding clearances. For that reason, inclusion in the registry could impact your ability to make a living for the rest of your life.
How Pennsylvania Defines Child Abuse
Child abuse is a problem nationwide, with an estimated 3 million children or more subjected to abuse. In Pennsylvania, the problem is especially pervasive. More than 40,000 children are subjects of child abuse reports each year, which averages out to one child in every 1,000.
Pennsylvania's child abuse definition applies to anyone who knowingly, willingly, or recklessly commits one or more of the following:
- Causing bodily harm to a child.
- Causing serious mental injury to a child.
- Causing bodily or mental harm to a child by failing to act.
- Fabricating or exaggerating a disease or medical symptom that leads to harmful treatment.
- Sexually abusing or exploiting a child.
- Causing sexual abuse or exploitation to a child by failing to act.
- Causing serious physical neglect of a child.
- Unreasonably restraining or confining a child.
- Forcefully shaking or striking a child under one year of age.
- Interfering with a child's ability to breathe.
- Exposing a child to a methamphetamine laboratory.
- Knowingly leaving a child with a registered sex offender or sexual predator.
- Causing the death of a child.
How Child Abuse Reports Are Investigated
ChildLine is administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. When a complaint comes through the toll-free number or online portal, the ChildLine Intake Unit has trained caseworkers and supervisors who go through the reports and pass them on to the appropriate department for handling. The exact agency varies by jurisdiction, but in Greene County, the report will go to Greene County Children and Youth Services.
What happens from that point is specific to Greene County's internal procedures. Generally speaking, though, county employees will investigate the claims to determine whether enough information exists to take the case further. If so, the ChildLine investigative process will start, which first has the employee conducting a risk assessment. Once the risk assessment is complete, the employee will dig deeper to determine whether the alleged abuse happened.
The state outlines its risk assessment standards in 55 Pa. Code § 3490.321. In a nutshell, employees are expected to pay attention to:
- The environment where the alleged abuse took place, including any previous abuse or neglect incidents.
- The specifics of the person being accused of neglect or abuse, including any history of substance abuse.
- The history of violence within the accused's family.
It is the duty of Greene County employees to review each of these factors and assign a risk level to each category. Employees are required to make an initial determination as to whether there is an immediate risk to the child. In some cases, employees may reach out to the family and determine the report lacks merit, and in that case, the report can be closed as long as proper documentation is provided.
The investigation must be concluded within 60 days of the initial report. During this time, workers will interview all relevant parties, including the parents or guardians, the person being accused, the person who reported the abuse, any witnesses of the alleged abuse, neighbors and relatives, and day care providers and school officials who might have insights into the situation. When appropriate, officials will also interview the child who suffered the alleged abuse.
Documentation is an important part of the investigation. All documentation will be turned over to Greene County Children and Youth Services. If possible, the county employees conducting the investigation will take photographs of any potential proof of abuse and include that with the interview documentation.
Law Enforcement and ChildLine
In some cases, law enforcement gets involved in investigating reports of child abuse. Here are some instances where a ChildLine report will be referred to law enforcement officials:
- The alleged abuse involves sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.
- The report relates to a homicide or serious bodily injury.
- The alleged abuse was perpetrated by non-family members.
In some cases, law enforcement will request information from a ChildLine report. Requests must be in writing and signed by a law enforcement official, but when that happens, law enforcement may request information on the person who reported the abuse. The information will be kept confidential, but officers may use it in the course of investigating a case.
Reporting Parties
Anyone can report suspected abuse using the ChildLine toll-free number. The intake team will gather the information necessary to launch an investigation. Reports that are phoned in are anonymous. These reporters, known as permissive reporters, are reaching out on their own, but there is a class of Pennsylvania residents who are required by law to report any suspected instances of child abuse. Those are mandated reporters.
Unlike permissive reporters, mandated reporters use a portal to report suspected abuse. This portal also allows authorized personnel to get clearances on potential employees. Through this site, someone can determine if a person is on the list or not.
Mandated reporters tend to be professionals who work in areas where they might see evidence of child abuse. In Greene County, those professionals include:
- Teachers and school faculty
- Day care providers and workers
- Law enforcement officers
- Babysitters and other personal caretakers
- Social workers and other government employees
- Clergy
- Mental health professionals
In many cases, the employee suspecting the abuse won't have access to file a report. For that reason, the State of Pennsylvania requires employees at schools, facilities, or agencies to report potential child abuse to the person in charge of that location. That person will need to gather the information and submit the report through the portal.
Inaccurate ChildLine Reports
As valuable as the ChildLine reporting process is, it isn't perfect. A large part of the problem is that residents can remain anonymous while reporting someone for child abuse, and the accused party has no choice but to trust the investigative process.
Why does a false report happen? In some cases, reporting parties simply misunderstand what they see. It could also be an angry co-worker, a former friend, or a neighbor with a vendetta. Sometimes, divorcing couples will hurl child abuse allegations at each other in an effort to win a custody battle. Whatever the reason, that person's word can seem as valid as yours when a third party is gathering information.
Greene County's trained employees follow procedures while investigating a claim of abuse, but short of photographic or video evidence, they have to rely heavily on interviews with the child, family members, and eyewitnesses. While it's impossible to know exactly how many accused abusers on the registry are innocent, it can happen, and when it does, the LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team can help.
Consequences of a ChildLine Investigation
From the time an investigation is launched in Greene County, the accused party faces serious consequences. They include:
Reputation Damage
Even before suspected abuse is reported through ChildLine, word of mouth can harm your reputation. However, serious damage can follow once the report has been filed. County employees will be interviewing you, your relatives, potential witnesses, and the child in question. The entire process can attract attention and get people talking.
Child Custody
Perhaps the biggest disruption a ChildLine investigation can cause is to your own family. If you have a court-ordered custody arrangement, having your name added to the ChildLine registry can lead to a change in that arrangement, and it won't be in your favor.
If you have full-time custody of your child, whether you share that custody with a life partner or you're a single parent, a report of child abuse can still lead to loss of custody, particularly if the alleged victim was your own child. It can also get in the way of any future plans you have to adopt or foster a child.
Employment
During the interview phase of the ChildLine reporting process, county employees may get in touch with your employer. Even if employees eventually find that no abuse was committed, your employer could be iffy about keeping you on the payroll, whether your job puts you in contact with children or not.
Then, there are the long-term implications of a ChildLine report. If you end up on the registry and your employer eventually researches you, your ability to make a living could be at risk. Future employers could also search the registry. The good news is that the database is not available to the general public. Only certain employers will have access to conduct what's known as a ”clearance” through the ChildLine portal.
Professional Licenses
Speaking of employment, Greene County has a robust population of professionals who maintain state licenses. When those professionals are added to the ChildLine registry, Greene County officials may reach out to the appropriate licensing board to notify them of the addition. Pennsylvania's licensed professionals include:
- Attorneys
- Medical professionals
- Real estate agents
- Teachers and daycare workers
- Social workers
- Cosmetologists and barbers
If you're reported for child abuse and the investigation leads to your name being added to the registry, it could have a direct impact on your ability to work. The applicable licensing board will decide what action to take on your license based on hearing about the report, but even if your license stays in place, you could find your professional reputation in jeopardy.
The LLF Law Firm Team can help you protect your license by working with you during the ChildLine investigation process. If you've already been added to the registry, we can work on your behalf to appeal the addition for the sake of your professional and personal reputation.
Defending Your Rights
If you find yourself the subject of a ChildLine investigation, it's important to know your rights. As with other Pennsylvania counties, Greene County residents have the right to due process with these accusations. Specifically, if you've been reported to ChildLine, you're entitled to the following courtesies:
- Notification that a report has been filed against you.
- Information about the results of the investigation, once complete.
- Details on how you can appeal a decision that's not in your favor.
- Notification that you'll be added to the ChildLine registry.
At all times, you have the right to retain an attorney, whether to simply advise you, to file appeals, and/or to represent you in communications with Pennsylvania government employees. If you feel that you haven't been properly notified, or you want an ally by your side as you navigate the process, the LLF Law Firm can help.
How the LLF Law Firm Can Help
The LLF Law Firm regularly works with Greene County residents who have been reported to ChildLine. We can help you understand the process and communicate with county officials. If you've been reported to ChildLine, give us a call at 888-535-3686 or contact us through our confidential form to find out how we can help you as you strive to keep your name clear.
