Child Abuse Reporting Agencies Other helpful publications Responding to a Disclosure

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., if you need to

There are other fact sheets available from the University of
Nevada Cooperative Extension which give information about
of
make a report of suspected child maltreatment, the recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse
following list can help you determine the most • Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting: A self-study
appropriate agency to call. guide for people working with children. SP-00-21
The following is a list of the Nevada Division of Child • Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect, FS 06-25
and Family Services District Offices to call for each • Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect, FS 06-26
county in Nevada.
• Creating Safety Zones, FS 95-13
County Phone Number • When you feel like Lashing Out, FS 99-21
Carson City (775) 687-4943 • What Is Child Abuse, FS 97-02
Churchill (775) 423-8566
Clark (702) 399-0081 Contact your local University of Nevada Cooperative
Douglas (775) 687-4943 Extension office for these and other fact sheets. If you
Elko (775) 753-1300 cannot find the number for your local Extension office, you
can call (775)784-4848.
Esmeralda (775) 482-6626
Eureka (775) 289-1640 Visit our website at www.unce.unr.edu
Humboldt (775) 623-6555
Lander (775) 635-8172
Lincoln (775) 289-1640
Lyon (775) 463-3151
Mineral (775) 945-3602 “My uncle burned me with his cigarette.”
Nye (775) 482-6626
in Pahrump (775) 727-8497 What do you say,
Pershing (775) 273-7157
what should you do.
Storey (775) 687-4943
Washoe (775) 785-8600 Written by Jackie Reilly, M.S., Youth Development Specialist, when children tell you they have been abused?
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, and Sally S. Martin,
White Pine (775) 289-1640 Ph.D., State Extension Specialist, Human Development and
After hours and on weekends, reports can also be made by Family Studies. Formatted by Mara Lea Wright.
dialing the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-992-5757 for all
areas of the state except Clark and Washoe Counties. The University of Nevada, Reno is an equal opportunity affirmative action
In Washoe County, if you need to talk with someone employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,
age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual
due to the stress associated with making a report, you orientation, in any program or activity it operates. The University of Nevada
can call the Crisis Call Center at (775)784-8090. employs only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the
United States. 10/01
FACT SHEET 01-60
 When a child discloses
Hearing a disclosure — a child telling you that
someone has abused or hurt him— can be scary.
How you respond can be critical. A lot of thoughts
may run through your mind.
• You may be worried about the child and
yourself.
• You may be unsure of how to respond or what
to say.
• You may be unsure of the child’s comments
and information.
• You may not be sure if the child has been
abused.
• You may be angry with the parent or alleged
abuser.
• You may be worried about retaliation from the
alleged abuser. If so, ask that your report
remain confidential.
You may even want to take the child home with you.
How you respond is very important. Responding to a
disclosure of abuse or neglect is a big responsibility.
This fact sheet has suggestions about how to
respond in ways that help the child, her parents, and
yourself.
Children often are reluctant Ideas that can help
to tell about abuse • Be on the same eye level as the child; be tactful and have no
physical barriers between you and the child.
In over 80% of the cases of physical abuse, emotional
abuse or neglect, the birth parents are the abusers. The • Assess the child’s safety needs and the urgency of the
majority of perpetrators in sexual abuse cases are non- situation.
related caregivers, that is, baby-sitters, step-parents,
boyfriends, girlfriends or adoptive parents. • Don’t interrogate or interview the child.
Children often love the • Listen to the child.
person who is abusing
them and simply want the • Don’t comment on the child’s situation as being bad or
abusive behavior to stop. good; let the child tell her own story; leave out your own
Because they love and assumptions and value judgments.
care about the person, • Be calm and in control of your responses and emotions.
they may be reluctant to
get the person in trouble. • Find out what the child wants from you.
Many perpetrators tell
• Validate the child’s feelings.
children to keep the
abuse a secret and • Believe the child and be supportive.
frighten them with
unpleasant consequences. • Assure the child that you care, you are still her friend, and she
is not to blame.
Children may start to tell someone about the abuse. If the
person reacts with disgust or doesn’t believe them, they may • Don’t react with disgust.
stop disclosing the events. Then they may not tell anyone • Let the child know what you will do.
about it until they feel brave enough or have established a
sense of trust with someone else. This may delay them from • Tell the child you’re glad she told you.
seeking help. If a child begins to tell you about possible abuse, • Tell the child you will try to get him some help.
please listen carefully.
• Tell the child you will have to tell someone whose job it is to
help kids with these kinds of situations.
• Do not talk about the disclosure to other children or adults,
other than to report suspicions.
He or She?
We give equal time and space to both sexes! That’s why we take turns
referring to children as “he” or “she.” So keep in mind that even if we
say “he” or “she” we are talking about all children.