To report suspected child abuse, call 855-503-SAFE (7233) 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Your role in child safety
We all have a critical role in supporting child safety. This includes a responsibility to understand what is, and is not, child abuse in Oregon. Each of us should know the signs of child abuse and how to report it. We must also be able to recognize when a child and their family need help by connecting them to community supports and services. To learn more about your role and how to support safety for Oregon’s children, refer to the Training section below.
Some people in Oregon are mandatory reporters. A mandatory reporter is required to make an immediate report when they have had:
- Contact with a child they reasonably suspect was abused or
- Contact with a person who is believed to have abused a child
Mandatory reporters of child abuse include many public and private officials like health care providers, law enforcement employees, school employees and members of the clergy. The full list is found in
Oregon Revised Statute 419B.005.
Examples of mandatory reporters of child abuse include:
- Attorneys
- Certified foster care providers and their employees
- Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
- Elected officials in Oregon and members of state boards or commissions
- Emergency medical services providers and firefighters
- Employees of the Oregon Department of Human Services, Oregon Health Authority, Early Learning Division, Department of Education, Oregon Youth Authority, local health department, community mental health program, community developmental disabilities program, county juvenile department, or alcohol and drug treatment programs.
- Health care providers including doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants, home health workers, naturopaths, chiropractors, dentists and optometrists
- Law enforcement agency employees
- Members of a school district board, an education service district board or a public charter school governing body
- Members of the clergy
- Nursing home employees and contractors
- Psychologists, regulated social workers, licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists
- Registered child care providers
- School employees, including teachers and employees of higher education
- Senior center employees
- Therapists including physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists, speech language pathologists
If you are a mandatory reporter, you must report suspicions of child abuse or neglect to authorities.
Call the abuse hotline at 855-503-SAFE (7233) to make a report. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Training