You can report suspected abuse anytime, day or night.
Please contact 336-846-5719 to make a report during regular business hours (i.e. Monday through Friday between the hours of 8am and 5pm). To make a report after hours, on weekends or holidays, please contact 336-846-5600 and ask to speak to the on-call social worker.
If you feel the person is in immediate danger, dial 911.
Every adult in North Carolina has a legal obligation to report suspected child or adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation. If you make a report, you are immune from criminal or legal liability if the report is made in good faith. In some instances, you may make a report anonymously, but you are encouraged to provide your name and contact information in case additional information is needed later.
To report suspected abuse/neglect, you do not need to have proof but you do need to have reasonable grounds for suspicion. You do not need permission from the child’s caregivers.
The following information is needed when making a report:
- Name, address and approximate age of the child(ren)
- Name and address of the child’s parent, guardian or caretaker
- The child’s condition, including the history, nature and extent of the injury or maltreatment
- Information known about the family that could affect the safety of the child, and perhaps the safety of a social worker.
Please be prepared to tell the social worker taking the report as much information as you can. You don't have to know everything.
The reporter’s identity is kept confidential and is not shared with anyone outside the agency unless required by a court order.
It is the law that any person who has reasonable cause to believe that a disabled person is in need of Protective Services must report the case to the county Social Services Department (N.C.G.S. 108A-102). The reporter's identity is kept confidential unless a court of law orders disclosure.
Types of Elder Abuse:
- Physical Abuse – the intentional or reckless use of physical force or coercion that may result in bodily injury, physical pain, or impairment.
- Sexual Abuse – non-consensual sexual contact of any kind with an older adult, perpetrated through force, threats, or the exploitation of authority.
- Emotional Abuse – the infliction of anguish, pain, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts (i.e. verbal assaults, insults, threats, or intimidation).
- Financial Abuse – the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets (i.e. misusing or stealing an older person’s money or possessions, coercing or deceiving an older person into signing any document).
- Neglect – Failure of caregivers or other responsible parties to provide food, shelter, health care or protection.
- Self-neglect – A situation in which an individual’s failure to perform self-care tasks creates a threat to his/her own health or safety.
Signs of Elder Abuse:
The signs of elder abuse vary from individual to individual. Some signs may not be as apparent as others, depending on the severity and frequency of the abuse. Below are several examples of signs of elder abuse.
- Emotional distress or agitation.
- Withdrawal from activities of daily life.
- Medication overdose or chemical restraints.
- Sudden behavioral changes.
- Depression or anxiety.
- Poor personal hygiene.
- Bruises, abrasions, or lacerations around the breasts or genitals.
- Unsafe living conditions.
- Unattended or untreated health problems.
What can you do?
Report information to Ashe County DSS. If you learn of additional information, make another call to Ashe DSS to update the report or make another report. The safety of the children and disabled adults in our community is the responsibility of us all.
Who Reports? YOU DO!
You can report suspected abuse anytime, day or night.
Please contact 336-846-5719 to make a report during regular business hours (i.e. Monday through Friday between the hours of 8am and 5pm). To make a report after hours, on weekends or holidays, please contact 336-846-5600 and ask to speak to the on-call social worker.
If you feel the person is in immediate danger, dial 911.
