In accordance with the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, all GovState employees are MANDATED REPORTERS of suspected child abuse and neglect. Through training and self-education, employees can prepare themselves to fulfill their critical role in protecting the children of Illinois.
Being a Mandated Reporter means that a GovState employee is required to immediately report to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) when they have reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be an abused child or a neglected child when
they have reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their
professional or official capacity may be an abused child or a neglected child.
Training
Employees must satisfy the training requirements outlined in the Abused and Neglected
Child Reporting Act, 325 ILCS 5, to learn the signs of possible child abuse and child neglect so that they can recognize it. More detailed information about Mandated Reporter Training is available on GovState’s Mandated Employee Trainings webpage.
DCFS has also created reference sheets for Mandated Reporters:
Reporting
Any University employee that suspects a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, must make a report to DCFS.
In non-life threatening and non-emergency situations, a report may be made through DCFS’s Online Reporting System.
If the abuse or neglect being reported requires immediate action, the report must be made through the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE (800-252-2873).
DCFS has the primary responsibility of protecting children through the investigation of suspected
abuse or neglect by parents and other caregivers in a position of trust or
authority over the child. Additional information about reporting to DCFS is
available on the Department’s website.
If a child is ever in immediate danger of harm, emergency services should be contacted! On GovState’s campus, emergency services are provided by:
Department of Public Safety
1 University Parkway, C1375
University Park, IL 60484
Emergency Telephone Number: 911 (if calling from campus phone)
Telephone: 708-534-4900 (if calling direct)