The Child Protective Services 2023 Annual Report from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) “provides a picture of the challenges we face in eradicating child abuse,” as Gov. Josh Shapiro and DHS Secretary Val Arkoosh, MD, MPH wrote in the report’s welcome letter. And while the 2023 report shows that there are still complicated challenges, it also contains signs of progress to ensuring Pennsylvania’s youngest and most vulnerable thrive in environments free of child abuse and neglect.

There was a total of 40,301 reports of suspected child abuse received in 2023, as opposed to 39,093 reports received in 2022. This increase of suspected reports was to be expected after the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused reduced contact between children and mandated reporters. In fact, the report showed that mandated reporters were the source of 82% of all suspected child abuse reports in 2023, a 1.3% increase from the previous year. However, the percentage of reports of suspected child abuse that were substantiated decreased from 4,992 in 2022 to 4,720 in 2023.

What can the community do?

“Being a parent is harder than ever: screens and devices are everywhere for both parents and kids; mental health services and resources are scant; parents are working more than ever; and it’s hard to find affordable childcare, housing and food,” PFSA CEO Angela Liddle said about the report’s findings. “A child being mistreated isn’t a family matter. It’s an illustration that we as a society must do better for our most vulnerable citizens.”

One of the community safeguards that children have are mandated reporters, such as teachers, childcare workers and religious leaders. As mandated reporters under the Child Protective Services Law, they and others are legally required to report any suspicion of abuse against children to local authorities.

It is still important that community members who are not mandated reporters learn how to recognize and report child abuse and neglect. Some signs of physical abuse include:

• Unexplained bruises, welts, human bite marks or burns
• Withdrawal or aggression – behavioral extremes
• Flinching when approached by an adult (fears getting hit)
• Not wanting to talk about home life

Additionally, neglect takes many forms, including:

• Lack of supervision
• Ingestion of prescription medication and/or illegal drugs
• A delay or failure to seek medical attention
• Lack of food
• School truancy

If you ever suspect a child is being abused or neglected, do not hesitate to call ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313.

Additional resources from PFSA

This November, PFSA is hosting the annual PA Child Abuse Prevention Symposium to educate professionals, partners, and stakeholders in the family support and child abuse prevention field of best practices for strengthening families and keeping kids safe in Pennsylvania.

Additionally, PFSA offers programming for community members who have no formal background in child abuse prevention. The Front Porch Project® is a community-based primary prevention initiative based on the belief that everyone can – and should – become more aware of how to help protect children and support families in their own community. It provides community members with the knowledge, training, and encouragement they need to take an active role in preventing abuse and neglect before it occurs.