You are on this page: Preventive Services
Do You Suspect Abuse or Maltreatment?
Report it Now!
Call our Statewide Toll Free Telephone Number:
1-800-342-3720
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call TDD/TTY at
1-800-638-5163
or have your Video Relay System provider call
1-800-342-3720
If you believe that a child is in immediate danger,
call 911 or your local police department.
Protective Factors: Strategies to Strengthen Families
Building protective factors is a good way to develop your strong family:
- Nurturing and attachment
- Knowledge of parenting and child development
- Parents’ resilience
- Supports for parents when needed
- Healthy social and emotional development
- Social connections
Preventing Child Abuse
Child abuse is an issue that exists in communities throughout New York State. Every citizen can play a role in helping to protect the safety and well-being of our children. The OCFS website provides valuable information about programs to help keep children safe from abuse and maltreatment.
- The Healthy Families Home Visiting Program gives a helping hand to new parents who are at risk of child abuse.
- The Concerned Citizen Guide provides information to the public on child abuse and is a resource for enhancing community awareness around this important issue.
- Get information on common indicators of child abuse or maltreatment.
- See the FAQ for additional information about recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect.
Child abuse prevention involves education and raising public awareness about ways to prevent serious and often life-threatening child injuries from occurring in the first place. The "Shaken Baby Syndrome" information will alert you to the grave dangers of permanent injury or death that can result from shaking an infant.
"New York Loves Safe Babies" is a 30-minute visual presentation for caretakers of infants and young children. This resource provides helpful strategies to parents and other caretakers for keeping infants and young children safe.
It takes all of us working together to keep children safe and secure. You may know families who are at risk because of stress or other factors and who would benefit from the resources listed on this website. The OCFS website contains child abuse prevention information in Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic, as well as English. By working together, we can continue to provide our communities with the tools they need to help protect vulnerable lives and build brighter futures for the children of New York State.
Finally, if you think a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, please contact the New York State Child Abuse Hotline (State Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment) at 1-800-342-3720. If you believe that a child may be in immediate danger, call 911 or contact your local law enforcement.
Thank you for your commitment and dedication to helping raise awareness about child abuse and for sharing with your community the information you find on the OCFS website.