State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Nebraska > Chapter28 > 28-713

28-713. Reports of child abuse or neglect; law enforcement agency; department; duties.Upon the receipt of a call reporting child abuse and neglect as required by section 28-711:(1) It is the duty of the law enforcement agency to investigate the report, to take immediate steps to protect the child, and to institute legal proceedings if appropriate. In situations of alleged out-of-home child abuse or neglect if the person or persons to be notified have not already been notified and the person to be notified is not the subject of the report of child abuse or neglect, the law enforcement agency shall immediately notify the person or persons having custody of each child who has allegedly been abused or neglected that such report of alleged child abuse or neglect has been made and shall provide such person or persons with information of the nature of the alleged child abuse or neglect. The law enforcement agency may request assistance from the department during the investigation and shall, by the next working day, notify either the hotline or the department of receipt of the report, including whether or not an investigation is being undertaken by the law enforcement agency. A copy of all reports, whether or not an investigation is being undertaken, shall be provided to the department;(2) In situations of alleged out-of-home child abuse or neglect if the person or persons to be notified have not already been notified and the person to be notified is not the subject of the report of child abuse or neglect, the department shall immediately notify the person or persons having custody of each child who has allegedly been abused or neglected that such report of alleged child abuse or neglect has been made and shall provide such person or persons with information of the nature of the alleged child abuse or neglect and any other information that the department deems necessary. The department shall investigate for the purpose of assessing each report of child abuse or neglect to determine the risk of harm to the child involved. The department shall also provide such social services as are necessary and appropriate under the circumstances to protect and assist the child and to preserve the family;(3) The department may make a request for further assistance from the appropriate law enforcement agency or take such legal action as may be appropriate under the circumstances;(4) The department shall, by the next working day after receiving a report of child abuse or neglect under subdivision (1) of this section, make a written report or a summary on forms provided by the department to the proper law enforcement agency in the county and enter in the tracking system of child protection cases maintained pursuant to section 28-715 all reports of child abuse or neglect opened for investigation and any action taken; and(5) The department shall, upon request, make available to the appropriate investigating law enforcement agency and the county attorney a copy of all reports relative to a case of suspected child abuse or neglect. SourceLaws 1977, LB 38, § 152; Laws 1979, LB 505, § 4; Laws 1982, LB 522, § 5; Laws 1988, LB 463, § 45; Laws 1992, LB 1184, § 10; Laws 1996, LB 1044, § 72; Laws 1997, LB 119, § 2; Laws 1997, LB 307, § 13; Laws 2005, LB 116, § 3; Laws 2007, LB296, § 37.