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 “At DCFS we are first responders when it comes to helping families
in crisis, but we cannot do this job alone; and in these stressful
times of social distancing, turning our kitchens into classrooms and
the uncertainty of knowing when life as we knew it will return to
normal, we need your help now more than ever,” said DCFS Acting
Director Marc D. Smith. “Text your friends with children and see how
they’re doing; share child abuse prevention messages on social
media; and most importantly, if you suspect that a child is being
abused or neglected, call the DCFS Child Abuse Hotline at
1-800-25-ABUSE.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotline is working at full
capacity and remains prepared to take calls 24 hours a day.
Currently most calls are handled in real time without requiring a
call-back. DCFS child protection specialists continue to respond to
hotline calls with face-to-face contact within 24 hours to assess
child safety.
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To download the PSA, click here:
http:// multimedia.illinois.gov/iisradio/dcfs%20child%20abuse%20april2020.mp3
About the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Founded in
1964, DCFS is responsible for protecting children from abuse or neglect by
responding to calls received on the Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-25-ABUSE
(1-800-252-2873). With the goal of keeping children safe, DCFS strengthens and
supports families with a wide range of services. When keeping a child safe means
removing them from the home, DCFS makes every effort to reunite them with their
family. When the best interest of the child makes this impossible, DCFS is
committed to pursuing adoption by loving families to provide children with a
safe and permanent home. DCFS is also responsible for licensing and monitoring
of all Illinois child welfare agencies.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |
