Investigating maltreatment reports

To report suspected maltreatment in a child care center, call DCYF Intake at 651-539-8222. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

Statutory authority

Child maltreatment intake, screening, and investigation activities are governed by Minnesota Statutes, chapter 260E, the Reporting of Maltreatment of Minors Act. This law outlines how reports must be handled to ensure the safety and well-being of children in licensed settings.

Our work

The unit’s responsibilities fall into three primary areas:

1. Intake (receiving reports)
2. Screening
3. Conducting maltreatment investigations

1. Intake (receiving reports)

DCYF receives reports of suspected maltreatment at child care centers from multiple sources, including: 

• Reports made directly to DCYF Intake (from both mandated and voluntary reporters).
• Reports from the DCYF Child Care Center Licensing unit.
• Reports transferred from other agencies through the Social Service Information System (SSIS).

Intake is the first step in the process of receiving, screening and investigating maltreatment reports. Intake staff: 

• Receive incoming reports and review them for severity and risk of harm, prioritizing higher-risk situations.
• Create an electronic workflow and route reports to an investigator for screening.

The DCYF Licensing Intake Line (651-539-8222) is staffed Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Because the team is small, there may be times during business hours when calls are not answered but a voicemail can be left. Staff respond to voicemails within one business day. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

2. Screening

Reports are screened by maltreatment investigators throughout each business day. Screening includes: 

• Reviewing for immediate safety concerns. When there is an ongoing and serious risk of harm, DCYF coordinates with county child protection agencies and/or law enforcement to ensure child safety.
• Confirming jurisdiction. Reports that fall outside DCYF jurisdiction are referred to the appropriate agency.
• Reviewing the history of the facility, the alleged perpetrator, and the alleged victim.
• Cross-reporting child maltreatment reports to law enforcement.
• Gathering additional information when needed.
• Consulting with DCYF supervisory staff as appropriate.
• Deciding whether the report will be assigned for a maltreatment investigation, assigned for a licensing investigation, referred to another agency, and/or screened out.

Screening outcomes

Through the screening process, investigators determine the next steps for each allegation. These may include:

• Maltreatment investigation. If the allegation or incident meets one of the definitions of maltreatment in Minnesota Statutes, section 260E.03; and there is sufficient information to investigate the report; and other screening criteria are met; it is assigned to a maltreatment investigator for a field investigation.
• Licensing investigation. If the allegation or incident does not meet a definition of maltreatment, but does allege that licensing or certification standards were not met, and additional screening criteria are met, it is assigned to a child care center licensor for investigation.
• Referred to another agency. If the allegation or incident falls under another agency’s jurisdiction, it is referred to the other agency. 
• Screened out. If the allegation does not allege any form of maltreatment or licensing violation, includes insufficient information to investigate the report, or does not meet additional screening criteria, the report is screened out. 
• Multiple determinations. Depending on the specific allegations in each report, any single outcome or combination of the above may apply. For example, a single report might include three allegations – one allegation of maltreatment that falls within DCYF jurisdiction (assigned for maltreatment investigation and cross-reported to law enforcement), one allegation of licensing violations (assigned for licensing investigation), and one allegation of maltreatment that falls within the Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) jurisdiction (referred to MDE and cross-reported to law enforcement). 

Upon request, DCYF sends a letter to the reporter confirming whether the report was assigned.

Reports are typically screened within two business days. Some reports may take longer if investigators are awaiting returned calls or emails, supervisory consultation, or new information is received that impacts the screening decision.

3. Conducting maltreatment investigations

DCYF investigates allegations of child maltreatment occurring in licensed and certified child care centers. When law enforcement is investigating the same incident or concern, DCYF investigators collaborate with law enforcement to avoid duplicating efforts and conducting multiple interviews.

The investigation process includes: 

• Notifying the parents or guardians of the alleged victim(s) and the facility of the investigation.
• Conducting a site visit, which may be announced or unannounced. During a site visit, the investigator typically observes and photographs relevant areas, objects, or practices; reviews and obtains any available video footage; and interviews the alleged victim(s) and any staff members present who have information about the allegation.
• Conducting interviews with the alleged victim(s) when possible, the alleged perpetrator(s), and others who may have relevant information, including staff, management, family members, health care providers, and community members.
• Collecting relevant facility documentation such as personnel files, training records, incident reports, and policies and procedures.
• Collecting information from other sources such as medical records, law enforcement records, weather information, and maps.

Once all available and pertinent information has been collected, DCYF prepares an Investigation Memorandum. This public document includes the information gathered, a determination of whether maltreatment occurred, and any actions taken by DCYF.

If maltreatment is determined to have occurred, DCYF must consider the mitigating factors in Minnesota Statutes, section 260E.30, subdivision 4, to determine whether responsibility lies with an individual staff person, the facility, or both.

• When an individual is found responsible for maltreatment, DCYF notifies the Department of Human Services Background Studies Division, which determines if it will result in a background study disqualification for serious or recurring maltreatment. 
• When a licensed child care facility is found responsible for maltreatment, DCYF issues a fine of $1,000 or $5,000, depending on whether the maltreatment was serious as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 245C.02, subdivision 18.
• When a facility has serious or chronic violations that impact health and safety, additional licensing actions may be taken, including a conditional license, suspension, or revocation of the license.

Maltreatment investigation timelines can vary based on several factors. Each report is unique, and the length of an investigation depends on the circumstances involved. Key factors that influence timelines include:

• Case prioritization. DCYF prioritizes reports that present the greatest risk of harm to children.
• Complexity of allegations. More complex situations may require additional information gathering, interviews, or coordination.
• Access to involved individuals. Timelines can be affected by how quickly investigators are able to locate and interview alleged victims, family members, witnesses, and alleged perpetrators.
• Availability of documentation. Investigators often rely on information from child care centers, health care providers, law enforcement, and other partners. Delays in receiving needed records can extend timelines.
• Concurrent law enforcement investigations. When a criminal investigation is also underway, investigators may need to coordinate with law enforcement and follow their timelines.
• Workload and staffing. Unit capacity and the volume of new reports can influence how quickly investigations proceed.

All maltreatment determinations and licensing actions are subject to appeal.