Child Abuse

All University employees, volunteers, and independent contractors are required to report all instances of suspected child abuse.

How to report suspected child abuse:

Immediately make a report:

Submit a report online

• Make an electronic report using the Child Welfare Portal (the “Portal”) at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis.
• If you have not done so already, you will be required to create an account for the Portal. Complete the report and submit it online.
• The Portal will then automatically generate a completed Form CY47 based on the report. Download a copy of the completed Form CY47 and forward as directed below.
• Solely informing a supervisor that you suspect abuse is NOT sufficient under this Policy or the law.

Submit an oral report

• Call the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services via ChildLine (1-800-932-0313).
• After the oral report is made to ChildLine, immediately prepare and submit a written report utilizing Form CY47, which then must be submitted by facsimile, to the County Children and Youth agency where the suspected abuse occurred.
• Solely informing a supervisor that you suspect abuse is NOT sufficient under this Policy or the law.

For all reports (electronic and oral):

Whenever a University employee, volunteer or independent contractor makes a report to ChildLine, that person shall also immediately make an internal report to the University’s designated agents for purposes of this policy and Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law by immediately completing the Reporting Suspected Child Abuse form, this includes steps to upload the completed Form CY47. If the report was made electronically, the Form CY47 can be downloaded from the Portal.

Any subsequent communication from the Department of Human Services relating to the report will require a follow up submission of the Reporting Child Abuse form.

• If the report was made electronically, the Form CY47 can be downloaded from the Compass Portal to then upload the Form CY47 to the on-line form for reporting child abuse.
• If the report was made orally, please upload to the Form CY47 to the on-line form for reporting child abuse.
• In response to the report, the person making the report will be contacted by University Police Services, Penn State’s Office of Ethics & Compliance, and/or Penn State’s Risk Management Office.
• All University employees, volunteers, and independent contractors are required to assist the University, to the extent deemed necessary by the University, in gathering factual information related to the report.
• Refer to Penn State Policy AD72 for more information regarding reporting suspected child abuse.