If you are worried about a child, you should report your concerns to the Tusla Social Work Department in the area that the child lives. You can report your concerns anonymously, Tusla does not normally reveal the names of people who report suspicions of child abuse unless they have permission to do so.

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​​How to recognise child abuse?

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Child abuse is not always readily visible and your ability to recognise it can depend as much on your willingness to accept the possibility of its existence as on your knowledge of child abuse. Tusla provides information on the types of child abuse on its website.

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It is not necessary for you to prove that abuse has occurred in oreder to report a concern to Tusla. All that is required is that you have reasonable grounds to report your concern. It is Tulsa’s role to assess concerns that are reported to them.

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You may have observed signs of abuse or have grounds for concern such as, where a child has a suspicious injury, appears distressed for no obvious reason or  may make a direct or indirect disclosure.

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You should always inform Tusla if you are concerned that a child may have been, is being, or is at risk of being abused or neglected. If you ignore what may be symptoms of abuse, it could result in ongoing harm to the child.

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If you are concerned about a child but unsure whether you should report it to Tusla, you may find it useful to contact Tusla to informally discuss your concern.

For more information check out Tusla's website.

 

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