FAQs

Child abuse is the physical, sexual, or emotional maltreatment of a child (ages 0 to18) by a parent, family member, other caregiver, or non-caregiver. Physical abuse will involve cuts, broken or fractured bones, burns, internal injuries, or “severe and frequent bruising” inflicted on a child by other than accidental means. Sexual abuse will involve sexual intercourse, other sexual contact, or exploitation. Emotional abuse will involve verbal mistreatment, withholding of love or companionship, and the like.

Child neglect is the failure of a parent or other caregiver to provide necessary care (including supervision), food, clothing, shelter, and medical care – for reasons other than poverty – so as to seriously endanger the physical health of a child.

If you believe that a child (a boy or girl ages 0 to 18) has been:

• abused (physically, sexually, or emotionally),
• neglected (physically or emotionally),
• or is at risk of abuse or neglect

You should report your concerns to Oneida County Social Services.

Regular hours:
Child Protective Services staff in the office will receive your call Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

After hours and on weekends:
Oneida County Sheriff’s Department
Phone: (715) 361-5100

A social worker will write up your report. They will wish to know the names, ages, and addresses of family members. They will wish to hear information about the suspected abuse or neglect. Please be prepared to provide information. The more information that you share, the better subsequent agency decision-making will be.

A supervisor will review the report and decide if the situation is of sufficient seriousness to merit investigation.

The supervisor will make a response time decision once a decision is made to open a case. Response time is determined by use of a response priority tool.

Cases are designated:

• 24 hours
• 2 to 5 days
• Child Welfare Concern

Social Services strives to keep families together. We serve most children and families in the family home. Only in a minority of cases are children removed from their family home. Court action is necessary in this instance.

In removal situations, Social Service actions are guided by Wisconsin State Statutes (specifically, Chapter 48, also known as the Children’s Code). These statutes set forth agency child protection responsibilities, situations in which agencies may petition the Courts for involvement in children’s lives, dispositions which Courts might enter on children’s behalf, criteria which must be met in order to take children into custody, places in which children taken into custody may be held, and more. These Statutes closely circumscribe social workers’ actions. Children and families are awarded many rights by these statutes.

Persons Required to Report Abuse & Neglect are:

• Physicians
• Coroners
• Medical Examiners
• Nurses
• Dentists
• Chiropractors
• Acupuncturists
• Optometrists
• All Medical professionals
• Mental Health Professionals
• Day Care Providers
• Chemical Dependency Counselors
• Marriage/Family Therapists
• Professional Counselors
• Physical Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Dietitians
• Speech Therapists
• Audiologists
• EMT’s/Paramedics
• Social/Public Assistance Workers
• School Administrators
• Teachers/Counselors
• Police/Law Enforcement Officers
• Mediators under s.767.11
• Treatment staff employed by or working under contract with a county  department
• Child care workers in any day care center, group home, or residential care center

Mandated reporters are required to report suspected abuse and neglect of any child they see while in the course of their professional duties. Persons required to report must also report those situations in which they have reason to believe that a child has been threatened with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect is likely to occur. We encourage each mandated reporters to file his/her own report.

Any other person may report if there is reason to believe that a child has been abused or neglected or has been threatened with abuse or neglect.

Penalty: Persons required to report and who intentionally fail to report suspected child abuse or neglect may be fined up to $ 1,000 or imprisoned for up to six months or both. Persons who report in good faith are immune from civil or criminal liability.

For more information, please read the State of Wisconsin Statute 48.981(2) at the following address: https://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html

Type 48.981(2) in the “Go to a specific Statute (Folio)” text box. Click on “Go”.
Information may be found on page 106.