ILCS » Chapter 325 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

325 ILCS 5/7 (2026)

Time and manner of making reports

✓ current as of May 2026
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(325 ILCS 5/7) (from Ch. 23, par. 2057)
    Sec. 7. Time and manner of making reports. All reports of suspected child abuse or neglect made under this Act shall be made immediately by telephone to the central register established under Section 7.7 on the single, State-wide, toll-free telephone number established in Section 7.6, or in person or by telephone through the nearest Department office. The Department shall, in cooperation with school officials, distribute appropriate materials in school buildings listing the toll-free telephone number established in Section 7.6, including methods of making a report under this Act. The Department may, in cooperation with appropriate members of the clergy, distribute appropriate materials in churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, or other religious buildings listing the toll-free telephone number established in Section 7.6, including methods of making a report under this Act.
    Wherever the Statewide number is posted, there shall also be posted the following notice:
    "Any person who knowingly transmits a false report to the Department commits the offense of disorderly conduct under subsection (a)(7) of Section 26-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. A violation of this subsection is a Class 4 felony."
    The report required by this Act shall include, if known, the name and address of the child and the child's parents or other persons having the child's custody; the child's age; the nature of the child's condition, including any evidence of previous injuries or disabilities; and any other information that the person filing the report believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of such abuse or neglect and the identity of the person believed to have caused such abuse or neglect. Reports made to the central register through the State-wide, toll-free telephone number shall be immediately transmitted by the Department to the appropriate Child Protective Service Unit. All such reports alleging the death of a child, serious injury to a child, including, but not limited to, brain damage, skull fractures, subdural hematomas, and internal injuries, torture of a child, malnutrition of a child, and sexual abuse to a child, including, but not limited to, sexual intercourse, sexual exploitation, sexual molestation, and sexually transmitted disease in a child age 12 and under, shall also be immediately transmitted by the Department to the appropriate local law enforcement agency. The Department shall within 24 hours orally notify local law enforcement personnel and the office of the State's Attorney of the involved county of the receipt of any report alleging the death of a child, serious injury to a child, including, but not limited to, brain damage, skull fractures, subdural hematomas, and internal injuries, torture of a child, malnutrition of a child, and sexual abuse to a child, including, but not limited to, sexual intercourse, sexual exploitation, sexual molestation, and sexually transmitted disease in a child age 12 and under. All oral reports made by the Department to local law enforcement personnel and the office of the State's Attorney of the involved county shall be confirmed in writing within 24 hours of the oral report.
    Any report received by the Department alleging the abuse or neglect of a child by a person who is not the child's parent, a member of the child's immediate family, a person responsible for the child's welfare, an individual residing in the same home as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent shall immediately be referred to the appropriate local law enforcement agency for consideration of criminal investigation or other action.
    Written confirmation reports from persons not required to report by this Act may be made to the appropriate Child Protective Service Unit. Written reports from persons required by this Act to report shall be admissible in evidence in any judicial proceeding or administrative hearing relating to child abuse or neglect. Reports involving known or suspected child abuse or neglect in public or private residential agencies or institutions shall be made and received in the same manner as all other reports made under this Act.
    For purposes of this Section, "child" includes an adult resident as defined in this Act.
(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 103-22, eff. 8-8-23; 103-624, eff. 1-1-25.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 16 cases, 1996–2019 · leading case: People v. Santos, 813 N.E.2d 159 (Ill. 2004).
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People v. Santos, 813 N.E.2d 159 (Ill. 2004). · cites it 4× “" 325 ILCS 5/7 ( West 1998 ). If an individual who is mandated to report such incidents fails to follow the procedures set forth in this Act, the penalties for the failure to report are high: "[a]ny physician who willfully fails to report suspected child abuse * * * as required…”
In re J.C., 2012 IL App (4th) 110861 (Ill. App. Ct. 2012). · cites it 2× “325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2010). Reports made pursuant to the Reporting Act “shall include, if known, the name and address of the child and his parents or other persons having his custody; the child’s age; the nature of the child’s condition including any evidence of previous injuries…”
People v. T.T., 892 N.E.2d 1163 (Ill. App. Ct. 2008). · cites it 2× “325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2000); 89 Ill. Adm. Code §300.”
People v. T.T., 815 N.E.2d 789 (Ill. App. Ct. 2004). “325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2000); 89 Ill. Adm. Code § 300.”
Dupuy v. McDonald, 141 F. Supp. 2d 1090 (N.D. Ill. 2001). “(325 ILCS 5/7, 5/7.3.) Edward Cotton is currently the DCP’s chief administrator.”
Kemp-Golden v. Dep't of Child. & Fam. Servs., 667 N.E.2d 688 (Ill. App. Ct. 1996). “by Poepsel with DCFS, in accordance with section 7 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (Act) (325 ILCS 5/7 (West 1992)). A DCFS investigator conducted an investigation and determined credible evidence of sexual molestation and the infliction of cuts, welts, and…”
Nosbaum Ex Rel. Harding v. Martini, 726 N.E.2d 84 (Ill. App. Ct. 2000). “” 325 ILCS 5/7 (West Supp. 1999). Section 9 of the Act provides: “Any person, institution or agency, under this Act, participating in good faith in the making of a report or referral, or in the investigation of such a report or referral *** shall have immunity from any…”
Lipscomb v. Sisters of St. Francis Health Servs., Inc., 799 N.E.2d 293 (Ill. App. Ct. 2003). “2d 1144 (1996), and section 7 of the Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2000)), defendant claims that the reporting process may be an “on-going one” where “the child is in a hospital for several days being treated for an unrelated condition.”
In re G.V., 2018 IL App (3d) 180272 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). “, 2012 IL App (4th) 110861, ¶ 21 (quoting 325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2010)). A report should include, as is possible, information regarding “ ‘any previous incidents of suspected child abuse or neglect.”
People v. Sarah N. (In Re G v. , 2018 IL App (3d) 180272 (Ill. App. Ct. 2018). “2d 453 (quoting 325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2010) ). A report should include, as is possible, information regarding " 'any previous incidents of suspected child abuse or neglect.”
In Re Jc, 966 N.E.2d 453 (Ill. App. Ct. 2012). · cites it 2× “325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2010). Reports made pursuant to the Reporting Act "shall include, if known, the name and address of the child and his parents or other persons having his custody; the child's age; the nature of the child's condition including any evidence of previous injuries…”
In Re Tt, 892 N.E.2d 1163 (Ill. App. Ct. 2008). “325 ILCS 5/7 (West 2000); 89 Ill. Adm.Code § 300.”
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