What happens after I tell?

What happens after you tell depends a lot on your situation.

If you are in immediate danger, call the police.

When you tell, the child protection worker assesses your safety:

1. You may be told to wait where you are. A child protection worker will be right out to see you.
2. The child protection worker may discuss how to be safe until a worker can come out to see you.
3. You may also be told to go home, and given a time when a worker will come to see.

If a child protection worker gets involved, how soon depends on the worker's assessment:

1. If you are in danger, a child protection worker may immediately get involved that same day.
2. If you are safe in your home, the child protection worker may help establish a safety plan and may schedule to meet with you later.

What happens depends on what you tell and what the child protection worker finds.

1. After you tell, a child protection worker may decide to do an investigation.
2. An investigation may include talking with you and your parents.
3. What happens next depends on the findings:
   • your case might be closed, or
   • your family might receive additional support, or
   • you may have to go to court.
4. Sometimes, at any point during this process and depending on the situation, kids and teens may go into care.
5. You will be kept informed about the decisions.

There is a chart available that gives you an overview of what happens when you tell.