1. Each report made by a mandatory reporter, as defined in section 232.69, subsection 1, shall be made both orally and in writing. Each report made by a permissive reporter, as defined in section 232.69, subsection 2, may be oral, written, or both.
2. The oral report shall be made by telephone or otherwise to the department of human services. If the person making the report has reason to believe that immediate protection for the child is advisable, that person shall also make an oral report to an appropriate law enforcement agency.
3. The written report shall be made to the department of human services within forty-eight hours after such oral report.
4. The department of human services shall:
a. Immediately, upon receipt of an oral report, make a determination as to whether the report constitutes an allegation of child abuse as defined in section 232.68;
b. Make a report to the central registry if the oral report has been determined to constitute a child abuse allegation;
c. Forward a copy of the written report to the registry; and
d. Notify the appropriate county attorney of the receipt of any report.
5. The oral and written reports shall contain the following information, or as much thereof as the person making the report is able to furnish:
a. The names and home address of the child and the child's parents or other persons believed to be responsible for the child's care;
b. The child's present whereabouts if not the same as the parent's or other person's home address;
c. The child's age;
d. The nature and extent of the child's injuries, including any evidence of previous injuries;
e. The name, age and condition of other children in the same home;
f. Any other information which the person making the report believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injury to the child, the identity of the person or persons responsible for the injury, or in providing assistance to the child; and
g. The name and address of the person making the report.
6. A report made by a permissive reporter, as defined in section 232.69, subsection 2, shall be regarded as a report pursuant to this chapter whether or not the report contains all of the information required by this section and may be made to the department of human services, county attorney, or law enforcement agency. If the report is made to any agency other than the department of human services, such agency shall promptly refer the report to the department of human services.
[C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, § 235A.4; C79, 81, § 232.70]
83 Acts, ch 96, § 157, 159; 87 Acts, ch 153, § 4
Referred to in § 232.68, 232.69, 232.71A
Iowa General Assembly
Search: Iowa Code 1997
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