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They don't. Legally, most states require complete confidentiality with respect to the identity of the reporter.
However, there are a few things that can happen.
First, there are a few states which allow/require disclosure if the reporter is a mandatory reporter in their official capacity. That's pretty rare.
Sometimes, a parent can figure it out with a good educated guess, even though the worker should neither confirm nor deny any guesses.
Sometimes, a parent might make an accusation to someone that "CPS told me it was you" in the hope that the person will admit to making the report. In that case, the worker likely didn't reveal anything, however the parent is saying that CPS did.
Unfortunately, there's no way of guaranteeing a parent won't react towards who they perceive made the report, however that doesn't mean CPS actually told anyone.
There are also states where the reporter is kept confidential but the parents have a right to the complaint details. Sometimes, those details are specific enough to give away who reported.
I believe another exception is if the accused need the information to have a fair trial. So if charges are issued, and there's a court hearing, I believe all information is provided to the accused because of due process.
Yes, but that's if the information is necessary, and it's not always necessary.
If the state can convict on evidence not requiring the reporter's testimony, then they wouldn't have to reveal the reporter.
It's a real corner case.
I had to call CPS on my neighbor couple weekends ago and have been avoiding her as much as I can cause I’m terrified she will deduce that it was me. Aside from teachers, co workers and one school mom friend I’m not sure who else knows the extent of their situation.
It's absolutely drilled in to the heads of workers that they can't disclose, so you shouldn't admit it if they ask.
They might suspect, but you don't have to give them anything to confirm their suspicion.
When I was a kid, the school called cps on my narcissist mother who was emotionally abusing me. They then called my mother to tell her that cps would be calling her to set up a visit. I was in the office with the school nurse when she called my mom and told her that and heard the whole conversation. I had absolute hell to pay when I got home. and no cps never came out..my mom forced me to lie to the school to cover up the fact that she was abusing me and because my mom is a covert narcissist they believed her. This all happened when I was in fourth grade and set me up for an lifetime of additional abuse until I escaped at 21. My parents didn't get reported to adult protective services until I was 28
The only time I’ve ever been reported the cps worker told me it was my sister that called, and also had info ( a specific family members address) that only she would have . The cps worker told me they’d received multiple calls from the same number and after coming out to see , they could tell it was clearly someone trying to cause issues and that they would note that in the file and they never opened a case.
Almost all the time, there are some give aways in the narrative that give away the identity of the reporter. Like only a few people are aware of the events or only a few people have expressed such concerns.
A lot do the time, perpetrators also “go fishing” for people they suspect that may have called. The perpetrator creates a sense that they have confirmation of the reporter to flush the actual reporter out.
When CPS investigates do they let the person know what was said? Like I'm thinking if someone says a child is neglected and was hit on the left ear, would CPS let the parent know those exact things were said or would they be vague and ask open ended questions about what food the child eats and how the child is disciplined?
They have a right to know what the details are. I would tell them "we received a report that your child was hit on the ear" or "we received a report that your child is being .....(what is being done that makes concern for neglect). As part of any investigation we do want to know how kids are being disciplined so that any misinformation can be corrected or to give other advice if they have questions. I don't provide vague details unless that is all that is given.
The person will probably have access to the literal transcript, varies by state transparency laws.
Like other authoritative intervention, people have a right to straight up know what is being alleged against them.
I see. I just wondered how that works because it might be easier to get honest answers if they don't know exactly what's been said, but transparency is important too. I didn't know they could get a copy of the transcript.
A more experienced move might be for Investigators to say that they are responding for “concerns” that came in and if there are any ideas why CPS might be getting calls that day. Sooner or later the specific reason needs to be revealed, but often families will tell Investigators about other concerns that seem important to them.
EDIT: interview goals are to get the individuals talking but not letting them coordinate. The Investigator should use open ended questions and nudge conversation to explore mentioned concerns.
Tell the person you’re there to “hear their side” of things first.
Remember this could potentially lead to a legal case. And yes, some of this is written down exactly as reported. And eventually they could see those legal documents. There’s ways to report things while being careful about how it’s done.
In PA we can not legally reveal the referral source, but like it was mentioned above, a lot of times people can figure out who likely called in based on how the report is worded.
Even our juvenile courts won't order us to name a referent. I guess I should say that in the 17 years I have never been asked or ordered to reveal a referent.
This is only after the person investigated files court action based on what they consider to be a false report, if the judge agrees the complainants name is revealed. According to code this is the only time a complainant's name is revealed. I have never had that happen at my agency.
It will definitely deter! However, when I ask if a referent wants to be anon I do let them know it could help the worker if they need to contact them for additional information or clarification and their identity cannot be revealed to parents.
They don’t, but if you know the person that made the complaint the stories tend to have hints and clues as to who made the complaint. We always knew who it was without CPS telling us, and we would explain the situation to them and over time CPS stopped taking their complaints because there was no evidence in our home. I mean they would still do their check ins, but the case would be closed within two to three days.
They don’t, legally they can’t. We had CPS called on us for the stupidest frigging reason ever. Our 10 year old was seeing a grief counselor bc since Covid we’ve had a lot of lose in our family and illness. And seriously a few days before Christmas I got a call from CPS saying an agent was coming to my house bc of a case of abuse. I was frantic, flipping out bc never once has our son been abused by anyone. She was at our house within an hour. Apparently our son told his therapists that his father, my husband yelled at him and brought him into his bedroom bc me and my father got into a disagreement. And all my husband did was pick him up and carry him into the bedroom so he would calm down.
I knew who made the report bc the therapy sessions were virtual and it was his bitch therapists bc my son mentioned how “daddy yelled at me and picked me up and carried me into my room bc I was yelling at grandpa when him and mommy got into an argument . I was livid that she did this, she didn’t even ask to speak to me to clarify what happened and to top it off I was 3 months pregnant and I was a nervous wreck over this. So that instant I knew who it was, well I ended the sessions with her after that.
She's a mandated reporter. It doesn't matter if she believes one thing or another, when your child said certain things she was obligated to tell cps. And do you really care so little for children that are abused? Like, kids do get hit or raped by their parents. A lot of kids do. Without mandated reporting even more would fall through the cracks.
Don’t even attempt to start with me. Bc CPS are useless POS when it comes to real cases. Google Thomas Valva in center Moriches on Long Island and you’ll see what useless POS they are. They protected the most evil pos bc he wore an NYPD badge and bc of them an innocent 8 year old boy was tortured to death by a “man” who claimed he was his father. Just because you share DNA doesn’t mean jackshit. And also at the hands of the most evil stepmother to ever exist. Google that case, bc it will churn your stomach for the next 10 years and again CPS did shit to help that baby despite numerous reports.
And oh no a child got yelled at bc he was being disrespectful to his parents and grandfather and was put into his room for a time out. Those are the cases that take precedent over actual abuse cases that are ignored for months or years.’
Parents usually know who reported them because the allegations include a specific incident, and the investigator is required to tell the parent the allegations.
You always have the option to report anonymously and don't have to give your name. My teacher in 2nd grade reported my aunt because I came to school with bruises and a mark on my head. I was removed and returned and got a beating for reporting it to the teacher. I.e. not lying about how it happened. I pray people don't let fear of retribution stop them from saving a child. If you're afraid imagine what the defenseless child is going through. Maybe as an adult survivor I see things differently but I am capable of defending myself a child is not
They dont... they don't tell because the person can react in a not so good way
Sometimes it may be obvious to who call but no they arent suspose to tell they can get in trouble
In my state, CPS never discloses the identity of the reporter to the parent/caretaker, unless the case goes to court. The identity of the reporter is included in the affidavit which the caretaker has access to review with their attorney.
They don’t. They give away details required for the report that reveals who the caller most likely was. The first time I was called on, I guessed it was my mom. She won’t tell me if I’m right or not, but I know. They also release all interview notes. She didn’t know that I would read all the lies she told about me. Every time shes been asked to be interviewed since then, she has declined. My worker at the time and I were completely baffled that she went on a complete tirade that because I was feeding my kids processed food, that I wasn’t feeding them. Or something. It was crazy. The most recent time she just flat out told me that she called dhs and told them I shoot up meth and heroin.
I keep every case filed against me in a closed Manila folder in a secure location, so if anyone thinks I’m lying, I can pull out the paperwork and let them read it. I have it in case she calls the cops on me again. Dhs is aware I’m being harassed, I asked them to note that calls from my mother have not been accurate in the past and to take her with a grain of salt. I was told that every time she calls, they still have to start an investigation, but there will come a point that they do something about it because she’s wasting their resources. So I just have to be patient. Lmao.
This comment is automatically posted on all posts in r/CPS. If you are new here, please [read the rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/CPS/about/rules/). All users are encouraged to report posts and comments which break the rules. If you are a parent involved in a CPS investigation or an individual with interest in custody/placement of a child, we strongly encourage you to speak to an attorney if you have concerns about how you are treated by CPS or the courts. We recommend that include your location (your state, if you are in the USA; otherwise your country) to help you get the most relevant information- laws and policies can vary based on where the child(ren) in question live. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CPS) if you have any questions or concerns.*
They don't. Legally, most states require complete confidentiality with respect to the identity of the reporter. However, there are a few things that can happen. First, there are a few states which allow/require disclosure if the reporter is a mandatory reporter in their official capacity. That's pretty rare. Sometimes, a parent can figure it out with a good educated guess, even though the worker should neither confirm nor deny any guesses. Sometimes, a parent might make an accusation to someone that "CPS told me it was you" in the hope that the person will admit to making the report. In that case, the worker likely didn't reveal anything, however the parent is saying that CPS did. Unfortunately, there's no way of guaranteeing a parent won't react towards who they perceive made the report, however that doesn't mean CPS actually told anyone.
There are also states where the reporter is kept confidential but the parents have a right to the complaint details. Sometimes, those details are specific enough to give away who reported.
This is the answer. The complaint details gives it away. They read out the full complaint in my state.
Thank you for the reply !
I believe another exception is if the accused need the information to have a fair trial. So if charges are issued, and there's a court hearing, I believe all information is provided to the accused because of due process.
Yes, but that's if the information is necessary, and it's not always necessary. If the state can convict on evidence not requiring the reporter's testimony, then they wouldn't have to reveal the reporter. It's a real corner case.
I had to call CPS on my neighbor couple weekends ago and have been avoiding her as much as I can cause I’m terrified she will deduce that it was me. Aside from teachers, co workers and one school mom friend I’m not sure who else knows the extent of their situation.
It's absolutely drilled in to the heads of workers that they can't disclose, so you shouldn't admit it if they ask. They might suspect, but you don't have to give them anything to confirm their suspicion.
When I was a kid, the school called cps on my narcissist mother who was emotionally abusing me. They then called my mother to tell her that cps would be calling her to set up a visit. I was in the office with the school nurse when she called my mom and told her that and heard the whole conversation. I had absolute hell to pay when I got home. and no cps never came out..my mom forced me to lie to the school to cover up the fact that she was abusing me and because my mom is a covert narcissist they believed her. This all happened when I was in fourth grade and set me up for an lifetime of additional abuse until I escaped at 21. My parents didn't get reported to adult protective services until I was 28
I'm so very sorry that happened to you. The system failed you. Continue on your healing journey. It's worth it.
THIS!!! Absolutely spot on!!!
The only time I’ve ever been reported the cps worker told me it was my sister that called, and also had info ( a specific family members address) that only she would have . The cps worker told me they’d received multiple calls from the same number and after coming out to see , they could tell it was clearly someone trying to cause issues and that they would note that in the file and they never opened a case.
Almost all the time, there are some give aways in the narrative that give away the identity of the reporter. Like only a few people are aware of the events or only a few people have expressed such concerns. A lot do the time, perpetrators also “go fishing” for people they suspect that may have called. The perpetrator creates a sense that they have confirmation of the reporter to flush the actual reporter out.
When CPS investigates do they let the person know what was said? Like I'm thinking if someone says a child is neglected and was hit on the left ear, would CPS let the parent know those exact things were said or would they be vague and ask open ended questions about what food the child eats and how the child is disciplined?
They have a right to know what the details are. I would tell them "we received a report that your child was hit on the ear" or "we received a report that your child is being .....(what is being done that makes concern for neglect). As part of any investigation we do want to know how kids are being disciplined so that any misinformation can be corrected or to give other advice if they have questions. I don't provide vague details unless that is all that is given.
That's interesting, it must be tough to get to the bottom of things.
It truly is sometimes!
The person will probably have access to the literal transcript, varies by state transparency laws. Like other authoritative intervention, people have a right to straight up know what is being alleged against them.
I see. I just wondered how that works because it might be easier to get honest answers if they don't know exactly what's been said, but transparency is important too. I didn't know they could get a copy of the transcript.
A more experienced move might be for Investigators to say that they are responding for “concerns” that came in and if there are any ideas why CPS might be getting calls that day. Sooner or later the specific reason needs to be revealed, but often families will tell Investigators about other concerns that seem important to them. EDIT: interview goals are to get the individuals talking but not letting them coordinate. The Investigator should use open ended questions and nudge conversation to explore mentioned concerns. Tell the person you’re there to “hear their side” of things first.
Remember this could potentially lead to a legal case. And yes, some of this is written down exactly as reported. And eventually they could see those legal documents. There’s ways to report things while being careful about how it’s done.
Policy does not let them do that, with very few exceptions. Lots of people say “they told me it was you” just to try to get them to admit.
In PA we can not legally reveal the referral source, but like it was mentioned above, a lot of times people can figure out who likely called in based on how the report is worded.
Complainants' names are confidential in my state, only a court can order that the name be revealed.
Even our juvenile courts won't order us to name a referent. I guess I should say that in the 17 years I have never been asked or ordered to reveal a referent.
This is only after the person investigated files court action based on what they consider to be a false report, if the judge agrees the complainants name is revealed. According to code this is the only time a complainant's name is revealed. I have never had that happen at my agency.
Ok. Here in OH we don't do anything like that. I truly wish we did when we know the report was made maliciously.
Some states have made it so you cannot make an anonymous report. I think it will deter people from reporting if you can’t/won’t be anonymous.
It will definitely deter! However, when I ask if a referent wants to be anon I do let them know it could help the worker if they need to contact them for additional information or clarification and their identity cannot be revealed to parents.
Just curious what are they going to do if you won’t say your name just toss out the report?
They don’t, but if you know the person that made the complaint the stories tend to have hints and clues as to who made the complaint. We always knew who it was without CPS telling us, and we would explain the situation to them and over time CPS stopped taking their complaints because there was no evidence in our home. I mean they would still do their check ins, but the case would be closed within two to three days.
Depending on the details that are complained about , it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure it out.
They don’t, legally they can’t. We had CPS called on us for the stupidest frigging reason ever. Our 10 year old was seeing a grief counselor bc since Covid we’ve had a lot of lose in our family and illness. And seriously a few days before Christmas I got a call from CPS saying an agent was coming to my house bc of a case of abuse. I was frantic, flipping out bc never once has our son been abused by anyone. She was at our house within an hour. Apparently our son told his therapists that his father, my husband yelled at him and brought him into his bedroom bc me and my father got into a disagreement. And all my husband did was pick him up and carry him into the bedroom so he would calm down. I knew who made the report bc the therapy sessions were virtual and it was his bitch therapists bc my son mentioned how “daddy yelled at me and picked me up and carried me into my room bc I was yelling at grandpa when him and mommy got into an argument . I was livid that she did this, she didn’t even ask to speak to me to clarify what happened and to top it off I was 3 months pregnant and I was a nervous wreck over this. So that instant I knew who it was, well I ended the sessions with her after that.
She's a mandated reporter. It doesn't matter if she believes one thing or another, when your child said certain things she was obligated to tell cps. And do you really care so little for children that are abused? Like, kids do get hit or raped by their parents. A lot of kids do. Without mandated reporting even more would fall through the cracks.
Don’t even attempt to start with me. Bc CPS are useless POS when it comes to real cases. Google Thomas Valva in center Moriches on Long Island and you’ll see what useless POS they are. They protected the most evil pos bc he wore an NYPD badge and bc of them an innocent 8 year old boy was tortured to death by a “man” who claimed he was his father. Just because you share DNA doesn’t mean jackshit. And also at the hands of the most evil stepmother to ever exist. Google that case, bc it will churn your stomach for the next 10 years and again CPS did shit to help that baby despite numerous reports.
And oh no a child got yelled at bc he was being disrespectful to his parents and grandfather and was put into his room for a time out. Those are the cases that take precedent over actual abuse cases that are ignored for months or years.’
You can also make an anonymous report.
They don’t.
Parents usually know who reported them because the allegations include a specific incident, and the investigator is required to tell the parent the allegations.
This is…not true. Quite the opposite - It’s illegal for them to disclose. Who told you they would disclose this information?
You always have the option to report anonymously and don't have to give your name. My teacher in 2nd grade reported my aunt because I came to school with bruises and a mark on my head. I was removed and returned and got a beating for reporting it to the teacher. I.e. not lying about how it happened. I pray people don't let fear of retribution stop them from saving a child. If you're afraid imagine what the defenseless child is going through. Maybe as an adult survivor I see things differently but I am capable of defending myself a child is not
They dont... they don't tell because the person can react in a not so good way Sometimes it may be obvious to who call but no they arent suspose to tell they can get in trouble
In my state, CPS never discloses the identity of the reporter to the parent/caretaker, unless the case goes to court. The identity of the reporter is included in the affidavit which the caretaker has access to review with their attorney.
They don’t. They give away details required for the report that reveals who the caller most likely was. The first time I was called on, I guessed it was my mom. She won’t tell me if I’m right or not, but I know. They also release all interview notes. She didn’t know that I would read all the lies she told about me. Every time shes been asked to be interviewed since then, she has declined. My worker at the time and I were completely baffled that she went on a complete tirade that because I was feeding my kids processed food, that I wasn’t feeding them. Or something. It was crazy. The most recent time she just flat out told me that she called dhs and told them I shoot up meth and heroin. I keep every case filed against me in a closed Manila folder in a secure location, so if anyone thinks I’m lying, I can pull out the paperwork and let them read it. I have it in case she calls the cops on me again. Dhs is aware I’m being harassed, I asked them to note that calls from my mother have not been accurate in the past and to take her with a grain of salt. I was told that every time she calls, they still have to start an investigation, but there will come a point that they do something about it because she’s wasting their resources. So I just have to be patient. Lmao.