County of Marin Health and Human Services

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Hotline

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

Marin County Children and Family Services (CFS) 24-Hour Abuse and Neglect Reporting Hotline: (415) 473-7153

 

Marin County Children and Family Services (CFS) Child Abuse Reporting Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to receive and assess allegations of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. CFS take reports of suspicion of abuse or neglect by parents and other caregivers in the home, and reports of exploitation.

Each report is assessed to determine the level of response/information required to protect the child(ren). CFS will respond to all reports that rise to the legal standard of investigation, commonly within 24 hours or within ten (10) calendar days. If an in-person response is not required but is a concern of abuse or neglect by a parent or caregiver in the home, the report will still be documented in the state-wide child welfare services database.

Any incident of alleged or suspected child abuse, or a reasonable suspicion of abuse should be reported immediately or as soon as possible. Anyone can make a confidential report of suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. All reporters (Mandated and Non-mandated) must call the reporting hotline to make a verbal report.

Mandated Reporters

Certain people are considered by law to be Mandated Reporters. For information on mandated reporting law, please see this handbook on California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Law(link is external).

If you are calling as a Mandated Reporter you must give your name and contact information, which will always stay confidential. Be prepared to provide the child’s name, school, parent’s names, addresses, phone numbers, and concerns. Please make your report to the child's primary residence county; in the event of split custody this may not always be Marin County.

After making your verbal report, fill out the Suspected Child Abuse Report(link is external) within 36 hours, and email or fax the completed form to CFS.

Fax: 415 473 3279

To request a free Mandated Reporter Training please contact the Marin County CFS 24-Hour Abuse and Neglect Reporting Hotline at (415) 473-7153.

Non-mandated Reporters

Non-mandated reporters are commonly neighbors, family members, friends, and other people in the community who have concerns about a youth being abused or neglect by a parent or caregiver. Even if you are a mandated reporter in the scope of your employment, you are not mandated to make a report to CFS if your concern is as a neighbor, family member, friend, or other community member. Non-mandated reporters can be anonymous. Non-mandated reporters make a report by calling the hotline and making a verbal report. Non-mandated reporters do not fill out or send in the Suspected Child Abuse Report.