Pa. Cons. Stat. » 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. (DOMESTIC RELATIONS) / Chapter 63
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6301 (2026)

 Short title of chapter.

✓ current as of May 2026
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CHAPTER 63

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES

 

Subchapter

A.  Preliminary Provisions

B.  Provisions and Responsibilities for Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

C.  Powers and Duties of Department

C.1. Students in Public and Private Schools (Repealed)

C.2. Background Checks for Employment in Schools (Repealed)

D.  Organization and Responsibilities of Child Protective        Service

E.  Miscellaneous Provisions

 

Enactment.  Chapter 63 was added December 19, 1990, P.L.1240, No.206, effective in 90 days.

Saved from Suspension.  Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure No. 1915.24, as amended March 30, 1994, provided that Chapter 63 shall not be deemed suspended or affected by Rules 1915.1 through 1915.18 relating to actions for custody, partial custody and visitation of minor children.

Cross References.  Chapter 63 is referred to in sections 5323, 5329.1, 5701, 6102, 6106, 6116, 6344, 6504.3, 6508, 6509 of this title; sections 4304, 4906.1, 4958, 9106, 9121 of Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses); sections 3118, 5945, 62A16, 6311, 6342 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); section 2164 of Title 53 (Municipalities Generally).

 

 

SUBCHAPTER A

PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

 

Sec.

6301.  Short title of chapter.

6302.  Findings and purpose of chapter.

6303.  Definitions.

6304.  Exclusions from child abuse.

6305.  Electronic reporting.

6306.  Regulations.

§ 6301.  Short title of chapter.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Child Protective Services Law.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 107 cases (15 in the last 5 years), 1991–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Kennedy, 604 A.2d 1036 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Commonwealth v. Kennedy, 604 A.2d 1036 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). · cites it 4× “I am unable to join Part I of that Opinion because I am not satisfied that Michael Kennedy is a "subject of the report" as that term is intended to be understood in the Child Protective Services Law, now 23 Pa.C.S. § 6301 et seq. I agree with the majority that constitutional…”
Armour Pharmacy v. Bureau of WC Fee Review Hearing Off. (Wegman's Food Markets, Inc.), 206 A.3d 660 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2019). · cites it 2× “23 Pa.C.S. §§ 6301 -6386. This Court held that a "final determination or order" that "brands" a named perpetrator as a child abuser in a statewide central registry affects personal rights and, as such, constitutes an adjudication.”
V.B.T. v. Fam. Servs. of W. Pennsylvania, 705 A.2d 1325 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1998). · cites it 4× “The first two issues concern the qualified privileges protecting the confidentiality of records created pursuant to the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. §§ 6301 et seq. (“the CPSL”) and of court records of proceedings under the Juvenile Act, 42 Pa.”
Crabbe v. Unemployment Comp. Bd. of Review, 179 A.3d 1183 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2018). · cites it 2× “23 Pa.C.S. §§ 6301 -6386. Act of October 22, 2014, P.”
Commonwealth v. Allshouse, 985 A.2d 847 (Pa. 2009). · cites it 2× “Before looking at the facts of this case, however, it is helpful to understand how Geist's interview came about pursuant to the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa. C.S. §§ 6301 et seq. The Law's purpose is to involve law enforcement agencies in responding to child abuse, to…”
Althaus by Althaus v. Cohen, 710 A.2d 1147 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1998). · cites it 4× “Pennsylvania, like Texas, has expressed its concern and outrage over child sexual abuse through its enactment of the Child Protection Services Law, 23 Pa. C.S. § 6301 et seq. Specifically, the statute reads "[a]bused children are in urgent need of an effective child protective…”
Gradwell v. Strausser, 610 A.2d 999 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992). · cites it 2× “The trial judge disposed of this matter as a custody dispute, and consequently the appellants have argued the case on appeal as such. *129 Unless dependency proceedings are initiated, 42 Pa.”
Jackson v. Garland, 622 A.2d 969 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1993). · cites it 2× “§ 2511 (involuntary termination of parental rights); 23 Pa.C.S. § 6301 et seq. (taking an abused child into protective custody); 23 Pa.”
Ken R. on Behalf of CR v. ARTHUR Z., 682 A.2d 1267 (Pa. 1996). · cites it 2× “[2] Repealed by 23 Pa.C.S. § 6301 et seq. (1990). [3] Repealed by 23 Pa.”
In Re: J.M., A Minor, Appeal of: A.M., 191 A.3d 907 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018). “rests of the child; (6) At the earliest possible date, be advised by the county agency having legal custody of the child of: (a) any plan to relocate the child or modify custody or visitation arrangements, including the reasons, prior to the relocation or change in custody or…”
K.G. v. Dep't of Human Servs., 187 A.3d 276 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2018). · cites it 2× “On appeal, Mother argues that the conduct for which she was convicted did not establish the level of bodily injury necessary to satisfy the definition of child abuse under the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa. C.S. §§ 6301 - 6386. Thus, her conviction could not serve as a…”
Althaus Ex Rel. Althaus v. Cohen, 756 A.2d 1166 (Pa. 2000). “See 23 Pa.C.S. § 6301 et seq. (Child Protection Services Law).”
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— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6301(a) — 1 case
L.A.W. v. W.r.w (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.