2025 Delaware Code
Title 16 - Health and Safety
Chapter 9. ABUSE OF CHILDREN
Subchapter I. Reports and Investigations of Abuse and Neglect
§ 904. Nature and content of report; to whom made.
(a) A report of known or suspected child abuse, neglect, or human trafficking must be made orally by immediately contacting the Department's report line for the following circumstances:
(1) Sexual abuse or suspected human trafficking where the alleged perpetrator has access to the alleged victim.
(2) Child death.
(3) A child with a current physical injury.
(4) A child who requires immediate medical attention or an immediate mental health evaluation.
(5) A child who has no caregiver, is currently unsupervised, or is living in conditions that are immediately hazardous to the child's health or safety.
(b) A report of known or suspected child abuse, neglect, or human trafficking which does not meet the criteria in subsection (a) above, may be made orally or through the Department's online reporting portal.
(c) An individual with knowledge of child abuse, neglect, or human trafficking or knowledge that leads to a good faith suspicion of child abuse, neglect, or human trafficking may not rely on another individual who has less direct knowledge to call the aforementioned report line.
(d) When 2 or more persons have joint knowledge of a known or suspected instance of child abuse, neglect, or human trafficking, the report may be made by 1 person with joint knowledge who was selected by mutual agreement of those persons involved. The report must include all persons with joint knowledge of the known or suspected instance of child abuse, neglect, or human trafficking at the time the report is made. Any person who has knowledge that the individual who was originally designated to report has failed to do so shall immediately make the report required under § 903 of this title.
16 Del. C. 1953, § 1003; 58 Del. Laws, c. 154; 60 Del. Laws, c. 494, § 1; 64 Del. Laws, c. 108, §§ 4, 11; 77 Del. Laws, c. 320, § 2; 80 Del. Laws, c. 84, § 1; 81 Del. Laws, c. 144, § 4; 83 Del. Laws, c. 228, § 1; 84 Del. Laws, c. 129, § 2; 85 Del. Laws, c. 128, § 5;
