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After you report suspected child abuse, a child-protection agency generally records and screens the information, then decides whether it meets local criteria for a response and how quickly to act. If screened in, the response may be an investigation or a family assessment; workers may contact the child and other people, assess safety, and connect the family with services. A report does not automatically mean a finding of abuse or that a child will be removed. Exact procedures, timelines, confidentiality rules, and names for each step depend on the state.
1. The agency records and screens the report
During intake, a worker may ask what you saw or heard, where the child is, whether the child may be in immediate danger, and what else you know about the child or family. Wisconsin advises callers to share what they know and not delay a report because they cannot answer every question. The agency then considers whether the report meets its state’s legal criteria and whether the circumstances call for an urgent response.
A report may be screened in for a child-protection response or screened out because it does not meet the local threshold. A screened-out report does not by itself mean the caller was dishonest; depending on the state, the agency may still refer the family to services or retain the information for future reference. Maryland describes possible service referrals, while Alaska says screened-out reports are retained. Wisconsin Department of Children and Families; Maryland Department of Human Services; Alaska Office of Children’s Services.
2. A screened-in report is assigned a response
“Investigation” is not the only possible response. Some agencies use a family assessment, alternative response, or another pathway, and the terms are not identical everywhere. The response selected can depend on the reported concern, the child’s immediate safety, and the family’s circumstances.
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Investigation
An investigative response generally gathers information to assess the allegation and may result in a formal finding under that state’s rules. Maryland, for example, distinguishes an Investigative Response—which focuses on forensic assessment and makes a finding—from its Alternative Response, which is used for lower-risk cases and does not make a finding. Maryland Department of Human Services.
Family assessment or alternative response
Some pathways focus on assessing safety and needs and offering support rather than making a formal finding. Virginia describes a family assessment when a report is valid, there is no immediate threat, and the family may benefit from services. The pathway’s name and consequences vary by state. Virginia Department of Social Services.
3. Workers assess the child’s safety and gather information
Depending on the response, workers may contact the child and caregivers, interview household members or other people with relevant information, and gather records or other evidence. The purpose is to understand the reported concern and assess whether the child is safe—not to treat the initial report as a proven conclusion.
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Rules for interviewing a child are local. Connecticut says its Department of Children and Families and police must minimize interviews. In that state, parental consent is generally required for a child interview unless a parent or household member is the alleged perpetrator, with safeguards for exceptions. That Connecticut rule should not be assumed to apply elsewhere. Connecticut Department of Children and Families.
4. CPS and police may have separate roles
Child-protection workers assess safety and family needs. Police investigate whether a crime occurred and whether charges should be filed. An allegation that may involve a crime can be referred to law enforcement, and the agencies may coordinate. Washington describes this division of responsibilities; Connecticut also describes required police and prosecutor notifications in cases where its investigation determines that serious physical or sexual abuse occurred. Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families; Connecticut Department of Children and Families.
5. Response times depend on the state and urgency
There is no single nationwide response deadline in the state guidance cited here. These state examples illustrate why location matters; they are not interchangeable guarantees.
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| State | Published response timing | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | Immediate response when a report suggests immediate danger; within 24 hours when immediate danger is not reported. | Missouri lists an exception for educational-neglect-only incidents. Missouri Department of Social Services. |
| Connecticut | Aim to begin within two hours for imminent risk of physical harm or another emergency, and within three days for other reports; investigations must be completed within 45 calendar days. | The two- and three-day figures are stated as aims; the 45-day investigation completion period is a separate requirement. Connecticut Department of Children and Families. |
| Wisconsin | Screening-response targets are within 24 hours or within five days. | These are Wisconsin targets, not a national schedule. Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. |
If a child is in immediate danger, contact emergency services or the local child-protection hotline rather than relying on an ordinary response-time example.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Possible outcomes range from closure to protective action
The outcome depends on what workers learn and whether the child is safe. A report alone does not determine the result.
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- Close the matter: An agency may close a case without further intervention if it assesses the child as safe. Wisconsin says a case may close at any step once the child is safe; Alaska also describes closure without further intervention when safety is established.
- Refer or offer services: The agency may connect the family with services, or arrange voluntary in-home or community support. Maryland notes that screened-out cases may be referred for services, and Washington describes voluntary services.
- Continue CPS involvement: The agency may keep working with the family through an assessment or service plan.
- Take protective or court action: If the child is assessed as unsafe, protective custody or court involvement may be considered. Washington describes dependency petitions when court intervention is needed; Alaska describes removal and a child-in-need-of-aid case in some circumstances. Wisconsin notes that a child may be removed at any point if deemed unsafe.
These options are described in state guidance, not as a single national sequence. Wisconsin Department of Children and Families; Maryland Department of Human Services; Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families; Alaska Office of Children’s Services.
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7. Reporter confidentiality and follow-up vary
Do not assume a report is anonymous or that the agency will tell you what happened. Rules depend on state law and, in some places, on whether the reporter is a mandated reporter.
- Wisconsin says reports are confidential by law and non-mandated reporters may choose to report without giving a name. Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
- Maryland says a caller need not provide a name, but the local department cannot disclose whether a referral was screened in or out. Maryland Department of Human Services.
- Alaska says reporter identity is not shared in the described process. Its guidance says additional information after an initial assessment is given to mandated reporters, not other reporters, and workers may be unable to share the action taken or its timing because case information is confidential. Alaska Office of Children’s Services.
- Virginia says a reporter’s name is not required and is not released unless there is a court order or testimony. Virginia Department of Social Services.
What the Washington figures do—and do not—show
Washington State DCYF reports that its intake received 122,222 abuse and neglect reports in 2025; 43,311 were screened in for a response, and 60,636 children required a face-to-face response. These are Washington-only counts for 2025, not national totals or rates, and the figures count different measures. Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
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