Each State designates specific agencies to receive and investigate reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Typically, this responsibility is carried out by child protective services (CPS) within a Department of Social Services, Department of Human Resources, or Division of Family and Children Services. In some States, police departments may also receive reports of child abuse or neglect. For more information or assistance with reporting, please call Childhelp®, 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453), or your local CPS agency.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway, which provided this information, publishes toll-free numbers for state reporting hotlines. Visit http://www.childwelfare.gov/can/index.cfm and click on Child Abuse Reporting Numbers at the bottom of the page.

Respite care is short-term care of a child in order to give the regular caregiver a break. Respite can be for a few hours or a week or more.

Each state or county has its own procedures for foster parents to get respite care, and many private agencies also provide their own forms of respite.

If you are a foster parent or kinship caregiver, your first step should be to check with your social worker to find out what types of respite, if any, are available to you.

Other sources of information about respite care are:

• Your state or local foster parent association
• The ARCH National Respite Locator Service

If your relative is currently in foster care, begin by contacting the agency that placed him or her. They should be able to provide you with information about your relative’s custody.

You may wish to consult an attorney who specializes in these matters. You may be eligible for low- or no-cost legal assistance. You can find information about qualifications for free legal aid and locating an attorney in your state on the website of the American Bar Association.

If your or your relative has been adopted, you should contact the state reunion registry in the state in which the adoption took place. You can find that information by visiting the National Adoption Directory online database. Select the state in the pull-down menu, check State Reunion Registry under Statewide Services, and click on "submit search."

Another organization that helps with search efforts is Bastard Nation.

Child custody decisions are made by individual state, county, or city child welfare agencies in conjunction with the local courts. You should begin by contacting that agency. Check the local government section of your telephone directory. The agency may be listed under “child services,” “child and family services,” “human services,” or another name.

To find out more about kinship care in your state, see the State Fact Sheets for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children developed by The Children's Defense Fund, AARP, Casey Family Programs, The Brookdale Foundation, Child Welfare League of America, Generations United, The Urban Institute, and Johnson & Hedgpeth Consultants, which you can find online at http://www.giclocalsupport.org/pages/state_fact_sheets.cfm

You might want to contact an attorney. You can find information about qualifications for free legal aid and locating an attorney in your state on the website of the American Bar Association

If you are experiencing difficulties with a child welfare case, we suggest you go through the following steps in order:

• Make your concerns known to your worker, his or her supervisor, and the agency director, in that order.
• Follow any grievance or appeals procedure set up by your agency.
• Contact your state or local foster/adoptive parent association. They may have experience with either your agency or your problem.
• Find out if your agency is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services (COA).
• If it is, concerns about the agency can be reported by following the COA procedures.
• Contact a child advocacy group in your state. Find a local contact through Voices for America's Children.
• Contact an attorney. You may be eligible for free or low-cost representation through legal aid services. You can find information about locating an attorney and qualifications for free legal aid in your state on the website of the American Bar Association.

If you are having difficulty caring for your child, you may be able to have him or her taken care of by a foster family for a period of time. However, most foster care agencies will try to help you keep your child at home by providing services or referrals that can help you work through whatever difficulties you are having.

You can contact your local foster care agency for more information about voluntarily placing your child in foster care or receiving services to help you keep your child at home. See our FAQ "How can I find a foster care agency in my city/county/state?"