SOCIAL SERVICES

WHAT IS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES?

Child Protective Services is a unit within the Department of Social Services that investigates child abuse, neglect, and/or dependency. The purpose of the investigation is to determine the extent of any abuse or neglect, the risk of harm to the child, whether the child and family need assistance or intervention services by the Department of Social Services, what services would be most helpful, and whether a petition should be filed to take the matter to juvenile court.
 
WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE? 

General Statue 7B-101(1) defines an abused child as:
 Any juvenile less than 18 years of age whose parent, guardian, custodian or caretaker inflicts, or allows to be inflicted, serious physical injury by other than accidental means; creates or allows to be created substantial risk of serious injury; uses, or allows to be used, cruel or grossly inappropriate procedures or devices to  modify behavior; commits, permits, or encourages sexual abuse of the juvenile; and creates or allows to be created serious emotional damage to the juvenile.
 
 
Physical Abuse:   
A child is abused, for purposes of the reporting law, if the child's parent, guardian , custodian, or caretaker inflicts or allows someone else to inflict upon the child a serious, non-accidental physical injury. A child also is abused if any of those persons create, or allow to be created, a substantial risk of serious, non-accidental physical injury.                                            
 
      
Cruelty:     
A child is abused if the parent, guardian, custodian or caretaker uses or allows someone else to use cruel or grossly inappropriate procedures, devices or instruments to modify or change the child's behavior.      
      
 
Emotional Abuse:     
A child is emotionally abused if the parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker either creates or allows others to create serious emotional damage to the  child.   Evidence of serious emotional damage includes a child's severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or aggressive behavior toward himself, herself or others.
 
      
      
Sexual Abuse:       
Sexual abuse, for purposes of the reporting law, occurs when a child's guardian, custodian, or caretaker commits, permits, or encourages the commission of any of the following criminal offenses by, with, or upon the juvenile:

• First or second degree rape;
• First or second degree sexual offense;
• Sexual act by custodian;
• Crime against nature;
• Incest;
• Preparation of obscene photographs, slides or motion pictures of the juvenile
• Employing or permitting the juvenile to assist in a violation of the obscenity laws;
• Dissemination of obscene material to juvenile;
• Displaying or disseminating material to juvenile;
• First and second degree sexual exploitation of the juvenile;
• Promoting the prostitution of the juvenile;
  
• Taking indecent liberties with the juvenile regardless of the age of the  parties.

 
Contributing to Delinquency:       
A child is considered to be abused, for purposes of the reporting law, if the parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker encourages, directs, or approves of delinquent acts  that involve moral turpitude committed by the juvenile.  In North Carolina a "delinquent act" is conduct by a juvenile under age sixteen (who is neither emancipated nor in the armed services) that would be a crime if committed by an adult.
      
 
 WHAT IS CHILD NEGLECT?
 
General Statute 7B-101(15) defines a neglected child as:
Any juvenile who does not receive proper care, supervision, or discipline from the juvenile's parent, guardian or caretaker; or who is abandoned, or not provided necessary medical care, or who lives in an environment injurious to the juvenile's welfare, or who has been placed  for care or adoption in violation of the law.
 
 
Proper Care/Supervision:     
Neglect may consist of a parent's failure to meet the child's basic needs or any serious disregard for a juvenile's supervision, care or discipline. It is not necessary for a child to suffer physical harm or be threatened with physical harm in order to be neglected.
     
Medical Neglect:   
A child is considered to be neglected if the child is deprived of the opportunity for normal growth and development by not having "necessary medical care" and "necessary remedial care."  
    
Illegal Placement:     
Placing a child illegally for care or adoption.
 
Inappropriate Discipline:    
Neglect may consist of a parent's inappropriate discipline that causes relatively mild, if any, physical symptoms that are not severe enough to constitute abuse, including marks, bruises, welts, etc.
 
 
What  is Dependency?
 
General Statute 7B-101 (9) defines a dependent child as:
Any juvenile needing assistance or placement because the child has no parent, guardian, or custodian responsible for his or her care or supervision, or the child's parent, guardian, or custodian is not able to provide for the child's care or supervision due to physical or mental incapacity and the absence of an appropriate alternative child-care arrangement.   
 
Who Must Report Suspected Abuse, Neglect and Dependency?
 
North Carolina's reporting law applies to every person and to  every institution. It requires "any person or institution with cause to suspect that a juvenile is abused, neglected, or dependent, as defined in the Juvenile Code, or has died as the result of maltreatment" to make a report  to the county Department of Social Services.
 
HOW TO MAKE A REPORT 
   
A report may be made  in person, by telephone, or in writing to the Department of Social Services in your county. The Rowan County  address is 165 Mahaley Avenue, Salisbury, NC  28144. The county phone number for making reports is (704) 638-3175. Reports may also be made to the state Child Protective Services Division by calling 1-800-354-KIDS.    
 
Do I have to give my name when I make a report? 
 
No.  Reports may be made anonymously.  However, you will not receive a letter advising whether the report was accepted for investigation nor notification of the case decision.