Reporting Suspected Abuse, Neglect and Dependency of a Child

The Jackson County Department of Social Services can be reached at (828) 586-5546. JCDSS is open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm. If you suspect abuse or neglect of a child after normal business hours you can contact the after hours social worker at (828) 586-1911.

You can visit their website here

• What if I do not know the name of the child I think is being abused/neglect?

If you do not know the name of the child you suspect is being abused or neglect, provide as much information possible to help identify the child; for example, parent's names, other family members' names, the school the child attends, type of car the family drives, license plate information, physical appearance of the child, address or driving directions to their home.

• What if I do not know where the suspected abused/neglected child lives?

If you do not know the address to the suspected abused/neglected child you can provide driving directions to the residence, license plate information, phone number to the parent or caretaker, information about where the child is currently located at the time of the report, or which school the child attends. Try to provide as much information possible at the time of the report to assist the social worker in locating the child.

• What if the child I am reporting about lives in another county or state from me?

You can still report to your local Department of Social Services office and your local agency will forward the report to the appropriate county or state.

• Will my name be told to the family I am reporting?

Your name will not be disclosed to any parent or caretaker you file an abuse/neglect report about. Your name will be taken at the time of the report to later assist the assigned social worker in answering questions that might arise or assist in locating the family.

• A report was made regarding my child, what do I do?

Finding out a report of abuse or neglect was filed about your child can feel scary and overwhelming. The best thing you can do is answer all questions honestly and remember that a social worker's main goal is to keep families together in a safe and healthy way. Social workers are resourceful and eager to help. Social Workers are trained to assess and plan for safety and can address many concerns while children stay in their home. If you have more questions or concerns about your DSS case, feel free to contact me.