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Child Protection
WHAT IS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES?
Child Protective Services (CPS) investigates reports of child abuse and neglect in your community. In Clark County, CPS is part of the Clark County Department of Family Services.
In Nevada, abuse or neglect of a child means physical and mental non-accidental injury; sexual abuse or sexual exploitation; or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child under age of 18 caused or allowed by a person responsible for his welfare.
WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT?
There generally four categories of child abuse and neglect:
1. PHYSICAL ABUSE: Injuries to children that are not accidental (i.e. broken bones, bruises, burns, cuts)
2. EMOTIONAL ABUSE: Injury to the child's intellectual or psychological capacity or emotional condition causing the child's normal range of performance or behavior to be impaired.
3. SEXUAL ABUSE/EXPLOITATION: Engaging in sexual activity with a child. Encouraging or allowing a child to view or engage in pornography, engage in prostitution, etc.
4. NEGLECT: Abandonment, failure to provide a child with supervision, food, education, shelter, medical care, etc.
Child Abuse Hotline (702) 399-0081 or email DFSHotline@co.clark.nv.us
REPORTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
HOTLINE PHONE NUMBER (702) 399-0081 or email DFSHotline@co.clark.nv.us
The Child Abuse Hotline takes reports of Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Emotional Abuse and Neglect. When someone calls in, the caller will be asked for as much information regarding identifying the family that they know, i.e.; names, address, ages, birth dates, if and where the parents work.
When you report child abuse or neglect, your name is confidential and can NEVER be disclosed.
NEVADA'S CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT REPORTING LAWS
Are there laws against child abuse?
Yes. There are federally mandated requirements for each state to have laws about reporting and investigating child abuse and neglect. This mandate is called the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), 42 USC Sec. 5101, Title 42, Chapter 67, amended 1/16/96.
The laws in Nevada that protect children incorporate federal mandates. These laws are called the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 432B. These laws or statutes define child abuse and neglect and authorize child protection and law enforcement agencies to investigate reports of alleged child abuse and neglect.
When should a report be made? A person must report or act "as soon as reasonably practical." If, in light of all the surrounding facts and circumstances which are known or which reasonably should be known to the person at the time, a reasonable person would act within approximately the same period under those facts and circumstances (NRS 432B.121). A report of suspected child abuse or neglect is only a request for an investigation. The person making the report does not need to prove or provide proof that abuse has or may have occurred. Investigation is the responsibility of the Child Protective Services Agency and/or law enforcement.
Contents of the report:
The report must contain, if obtainable (NRS 432B.230):
- Name, address, age and sex of child
- Name and address of the child's parents or other person who is responsible for his care
- The nature and extent of the abuse or neglect of the child
- Any evidence of previously known or suspected abuse or neglect of the child or child's siblings
- The name, address and relationship, if known, of the person who is alleged to have abused or neglected the child
- Any other information known to the person making the report
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