Reporting

WHO REPORTS

University of Florida personnel are required to abide by the Mandatory Reporting rules as outlined in F.S. 39.201.

"Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare is a mandatory reporter."

BOG 3.002- State of Florida law requires a state university administrator and law enforcement agency upon receiving information from another institution employee to report known or suspected child abuse, neglect, or abandonment (including physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse) that occurred on university property or at a university-sponsored event directly to the Department for Children and Families (DCF). 

Administrators- University president, provost, senior/executive vice presidents, vice presidents, associate vice presidents, associate/vice provosts, deans, chief of police, equal opportunity programs director, intercollegiate athletics director, internal audit director, Title IX coordinator, and university compliance officer.

A fine of $1 million shall be assessed against a university in the event the Board determines that a university administrator or law enforcement agency knowingly and willfully failed to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the Florida Department of Children and Families or knowingly and willfully prevented another person from doing so.

HOW TO REPORT

In the event of an emergency or if you see a crime in progress, contact the University of Florida Police Department at 352-392-1111 or 911 if located off campus.

Step 1: Immediately report the abuse to the DCF via one of the following methods:

  1. Telephone: 1-800-962- 2873 (24-hour hotline)
  2. Fax: 1-800-914-0004 (Fax Reporting Form)
  3. TTY: 1-800-955-8771 or 711 (Florida Relay)
  4. Online Report (provide gator link email to DCF 

Step 2: Notify Compliance and Ethics 12 hours after reporting to DCF

After the report is made to DCF, notify your supervisor, and submit an incident report to UF Compliance and Ethics.

  1. Incident Report

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Steps for Reporting Child Abuse

Tips for Successful Fax Reporting

Vulnerable Persons Reporting training video from the UF Police Department 

 Please see the Definitions, Policies & Laws Related to Reporting, and Additional Resources tab for additional information.