North Dakota Child Protection Program
Purpose
- Protect the health and welfare of children by encouraging the reporting of children who are known to be or suspected of being abused or neglected
- Provide adequate services for the protection and treatment of abused and neglected children and to protect them from further harm
- Identify the cause of children's deaths, where possible; Identify circumstances that contribute to children's deaths; and recommend changes in policy, practices, and law to prevent children's deaths
The law governing child protection services is NDCC 50-25.1.
April 2011: Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation (Coming Soon)
Services
- Institutional Child Protection Services
- The North Dakota Child Fatality Review Panel (NDCFRP)
- The North Dakota Children's Trust Fund (CTF)
- Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
- Other Topics (Mandated Reporters, Reporting Suspected Abuse or Neglect What Happens After a Report is Received, and Appeal Rights)
Institutional Child Protection Services
Institutional child abuse and neglect is defined by North Dakota Century Code 50-25.1-02 as, "situations of known or suspected child abuse or neglect where the person responsible for the child's welfare is an employee of a residential child care facility, a treatment or care center for mentally retarded, a public or private residential educational facility, a maternity home, or any residential facility owned or managed by the state or a political subdivision of the state."
When a child is suspected of being abused under circumstances that fit within this definition, the suspicion of possible child abuse or neglect can be reported to the regional supervisor of child protection services at the Regional Human Service Center in the region where the facility is located. Certain professionals are required by law to make reports whenever child abuse or neglect is suspected. (State Form Number 960 may be used to make a report of suspected institutional child abuse or neglect).
North Dakota Child Fatality Review Panel (NDCFRP)
- Is a multidisciplinary, multi-agency member appointed panel created by the North Dakota legislature in 1996 through an amendment to North Dakota Century Code Chapter 50-25.1
- Reviews deaths of all minors (under 18 years of age), which occur in the state
- Shares information and reviews compiled data to discover the circumstances surrounding a child's death and to identify trends or patterns in the deaths. Patterns can be used to guide efforts to prevent children's deaths by recommending changes in policy, practice and law.
- Meets on a regular basis (Meetings are closed to the public and all case discussions and documents, except for an annual report are confidential.)
- Contact information for the NDCFRP can be found within the annual reports.
North Dakota Children's Trust Fund (CTF)
The North Dakota Children's Trust Fund (CTF) was established by legislative action in 1985. (See NDCC 50-27) Grants from the fund have supported community programs for parent education, support groups or support services for families, community awareness campaigns, and other education activities that lead to the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
Child Abuse And Neglect Prevention
The Child Protection Program supports and funds numerous child abuse and neglect prevention activities in collaboration with both public and private partners.
Prevention efforts include:
- Community-based child abuse prevention grant activities
- Parenting education through Family/Parenting Resource Centers and Nurturing Parent Programs
- Parent self support groups
- Grants to support Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota
- Public information campaigns such as "Never, Never Shake a Baby"
- Child Abuse prevention month activities each April
- The New Parent Newsletter sent to parents of all newborns in the state
Other Topics
- Mandated Reporters
- Reporting Suspected Abuse Or Neglect
- What Happens After A Report Is Received
- Appeal Rights
Mandated Reporters
Professionals having knowledge of or reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused or neglected, or has died as a result of abuse or neglect, must make a report of the circumstances.
Those professionals required to report are any:
- physician, nurse, dentist, optometrist, medical examiner, coroner, or any other medical professional;
- mental health professional;
- religious practitioner of the healing arts;
- school teacher or administrator, school counselor;
- addiction counselor;
- social worker;
- day care center or any other child care worker;
- police or law enforcement officer;
- member of the clergy;
- Any person having reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused or neglected, or has died as a result of abuse or neglect, may report such circumstances
Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
A person mandated to report, or any person wanting to report suspected child abuse or neglect, should contact the County Social Service Office in the county where the child is. Each of the 53 County Social Service Offices serve as the N.D. Department of Human Services' designee for child protection services.
- Reports of suspected child abuse or neglect may be made verbally or in writing;
- If requested by the county social service office, a verbal report must be followed by a written report;
- The state's reporting form, SFN 960, is available at county social service offices
What Happens After a Report is Received by Child Protection Service Staff?
When the county social service office receives a report of suspected child abuse or neglect the following occurs:
- Analysis of the information in the report to determine what actions to take for an assessment
- Assessment of the concerns in the report to find the facts
- Decision about whether services are required for the protection and treatment of an abused or neglected child
- Referral to juvenile court for review if services are determined to be required
- Provision of protective services to the family such as parenting education, counseling, supporting services, foster care, etc.
- Brochure: What Happens Next? - A guide to ND child protection services (31kb pdf)
Appeal Rights
FORM - Request for Appeal of the Child Abuse & Neglect Assessment Decision (SFN 462)
The caregiver (subject of the report of suspected child abuse or neglect) has a right to appeal the decision of whether services are required for the protection and treatment of an abused or neglected child.
A request for an appeal must be in writing on forms developed and provided by the department. The written request for an appeal and formal hearing should be submitted to:
Appeals Supervisor
N.D. Department of Human Services 325
600 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0250
Top of page 
Back to previous page
