When the Adult & Family Services division of the Department of Human Services receives a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, the agency must decide whether the report meets the legal definition of child abuse or neglect.
Under the Virginia State law, an abused or neglected child is any child under 18 whose parent or other person responsible for the care of the child:
- causes, or threatens to cause, a physical or mental injury except for an accident
- fails to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care
- abandons the child
- fails to provide the kind of supervision necessary for the child's age or level of development
- commits, or allows to be committed, any illegal sexual act involving the child (including incest, rape, fondling, indecent exposure, prostitution) or allows the child to be used in any sexually explicit visual material
For more information on State services, click here: Virginia Department of Social Services
| Child Abuse/Neglect Hotlines |
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- Toll free (in Virginia): (800) 552-7096
- Out-of-state: (804) 786-8536
- Hearing-impaired: (800) 828-1120
- Local (in Virginia Beach): (757) 385-3400
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