HARRISBURG – Calling on all Pennsylvanians to remain vigilant in protecting children from abuse and neglect, Secretary of Public Welfare Estelle B. Richman released the 2008 Child Abuse Report.
“Although we have seen a slight decrease in the percentage of child abuse substantiated in 2008, 50 children died last year as the result of abuse and neglect – a statistic that is startling and sobering,” said Secretary Richman. “Especially during these times of economic stress, we must all remain committed to protecting the health and well-being of Pennsylvania’s children.”
According to the report, in 2008, more than 25,000 reports of suspected child abuse were received, an increase of more than 1,600 from 2007, suggesting a heightened awareness among mandated reporters and the general public.
Since 2007, working with the General Assembly, the Rendell administration has implemented new laws that require those working with children to obtain fingerprint-based federal criminal background checks. As a direct result of those checks, over 160 individuals with criminal histories were prevented from working with children.
Pennsylvania’s child welfare system is administered by the counties and supervised by the Department of Public Welfare. County children and youth agencies investigate all cases of suspected abuse, take preventative measures to protect children from repeated abuse and offer rehabilitative services for families affected by abuse and neglect.
The Department of Public Welfare maintains a central registry for abuse reports and operates ChildLine, a toll-free, anonymous hotline allowing anyone to call to report suspected abuse. Calls to ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313 are accepted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since 1976, ChildLine has received more than 2.1 million calls.
For more information on Pennsylvania’s efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect or to view the 2008 child abuse report, visit here.