Health Consequences of a Changing Economy

Assessing Child Abuse Hotline Inquiries in the Wake of COVID-19: Answering the Call

Abstract

Experts are concerned about increasing child distress and maltreatment alongside decreasing exposure to mandated child abuse reporters, such as teachers, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hotlines may serve as alternate means to identify family violence and support at-risk children. This study assessed the volume of calls and texts to a national child abuse hotline during the pandemic compared with the prior year.