How do I find out if my name is on the State Child Abuse and Neglect Registry? How do I get my child abuse record expunged?
Every state has procedures for maintaining records related to reports and investigations of child abuse and neglect. The term "central registry" is used by many states to refer to a centralized database for the statewide collection and maintenance of these records.
The type of information contained in central registries and department records varies from state to state but usually includes the child's name and address; the name of the mother, father, or guardian; the names of any siblings; the nature of the harm to the child; the name of the alleged perpetrator(s); and the findings of any investigations.
Although access to information maintained in registries and department records also varies among states, this information is typically kept confidential and used only by child protection agencies to screen potential adoptive parents and resource parents or sometimes for employment purposes.
Child protective services (CPS) must provide a written notice informing the alleged perpetrator that the agency has an open investigation of abuse or maltreatment. Following the investigation, CPS shall notify the alleged perpetrator in writing of the agency's determination and the individual's right to request an administrative hearing to contest the findings and have an inaccurate report amended or expunged from the registry.
If you did not receive a notification but suspect that you could be the subject of a child abuse investigation, you should contact the applicable state child abuse registry to inquire about the existence of a report, understand your right to appeal the decision, and request a copy of the case file. The time frame in which a founded CPS determination can be appealed varies by state.
Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children's Bureau, provides information about the laws governing the central registry in each state in the following summaries of state statutes:
- Disclosure of Confidential Child Abuse and Neglect Records summarizes state laws regarding the protection of confidential child abuse and neglect records.
- Review and Expunction of Central Registries and Reporting Records summarizes state laws regarding central registries and the expungement of records.