Family and Children Services
Child Protective Services (CPS)
Child Protective Services works to ensure the safety and well-being of children and families. The CPS unit receives and investigates reports of child abuse and neglect.
What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
Child maltreatment is harm or risk of harm caused to a child by a parent, caretaker, or another person responsible for the child's safety. Child maltreatment is generally divided into four basic types:
1. Physical Neglect
2. Physical Abuse
3. Sexual Abuse
4. Emotional Abuse
How Do I Report Child Abuse or Neglect?
If you believe a child has been abused, neglected, or is at risk of abuse or neglect, please report it to the Clark County Department of Social Services at 715-743-5233.
In an emergency or after hours, contact your local police department or the Clark County Sheriff's Department at 715-743-5351 or 911. State law protects reporter confidentiality. We will not disclose your name to the family that is subject to the report; however, sometimes due to the nature of the information reported, your identity may become evident to the family. You may request to make your report anonymously, unless you are a mandatory reporter, but your report may be considered more credible and can be more helpful to Child Protective Services (CPS) if you give your name.
What Will Happen When I Make a Report?
An Access worker will write up your report. They will need to hear information about the suspected abuse or neglect. Please be prepared to provide as much information as possible. The more information that you share, the better the agency decision-making will be. A supervisor will review the report and decide if the situation meets state statutory guidelines to consider investigation ("screen in") or not ("screen out").Once a decision is made to open a case, social workers may speak to the child, the parents, and other people in contact with the child, such as doctors, teachers, or childcare providers. The social worker's purpose is to determine if abuse or neglect has occurred and if it will happen again.If the social worker finds that no abuse or neglect occurred, or what happened does not meet the state statutory definition of abuse or neglect, the case will be closed and the family may or may not be referred elsewhere for services. If the social worker feels that the children are at risk of harm, the family may be referred to services to reduce the risk of future maltreatment. In rare cases where the child's safety cannot be ensured, the child may be removed from the home.