28-710.01: Legislative declarations.

(1) The Legislature declares that the public policy of the State of Nebraska is to protect children whose health or welfare may be jeopardized by abuse or neglect. The Legislature recognizes that most families want to keep their children safe, but circumstances or conditions sometimes interfere with their ability to do so. Families and children are best served by interventions that engage their protective capacities and address immediate safety concerns and ongoing risks of child abuse or neglect. In furtherance of this public policy and the family policy and principles set forth in sections 43-532 and 43-533, it is the intent of the Legislature to strengthen the family and make the home, school, and community safe for children by promoting responsible child care in all settings and to provide, when necessary, a safe temporary or permanent home environment for abused or neglected children.

(2) In addition, it is the policy of this state to: Require the reporting of child abuse or neglect in home, school, and community settings; provide for alternative response to reports as permitted by law and the rules and regulations of the department; provide for traditional response to reports as required by law and the rules and regulations of the department; and provide protective and supportive services designed to preserve and strengthen the family in appropriate cases.

28-711: Child subjected to abuse or neglect; report; contents; toll-free number.

(1) When any physician, any medical institution, any nurse, any school employee, any social worker, the Inspector General appointed under section 43-4317, or any other person has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to child abuse or neglect or observes such child being subjected to conditions or circumstances which reasonably would result in child abuse or neglect, he or she shall report such incident or cause a report of child abuse or neglect to be made to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department on the toll-free number established by subsection (2) of this section. Such report may be made orally by telephone with the caller giving his or her name and address, shall be followed by a written report, and to the extent available shall contain the address and age of the abused or neglected child, the address of the person or persons having custody of the abused or neglected child, the nature and extent of the child abuse or neglect or the conditions and circumstances which would reasonably result in such child abuse or neglect, any evidence of previous child abuse or neglect including the nature and extent, and any other information which in the opinion of the person may be helpful in establishing the cause of such child abuse or neglect and the identity of the perpetrator or perpetrators. Law enforcement agencies receiving any reports of child abuse or neglect under this subsection shall notify the department pursuant to section 28-718 on the next working day by telephone or mail.

(2) The department shall establish a statewide toll-free number to be used by any person any hour of the day or night, any day of the week, to make reports of child abuse or neglect. Reports of child abuse or neglect not previously made to or by a law enforcement agency shall be made immediately to such agency by the department.

28-716: Person participating in an investigation or the making of a report or providing information or assistance; immune from liability; civil or criminal.

Any person participating in an investigation or the making of a report of child abuse or neglect required by section 28-711pursuant to or participating in a judicial proceeding resulting therefrom or providing information or assistance, including a medical evaluation or consultation in connection with an investigation, a report, or a judicial proceeding pursuant to a report of child abuse or neglect, shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed, except for maliciously false statements.

28-717: Violation; penalty.

Any person who willfully fails to make any report of child abuse or neglect required by section 28-711 shall be guilty of a Class III misdemeanor.