Mandatory Reporting Obligations
Child-Abuse Reporting
Immediate Duty and Professional Clock
The newly pinned statute uses a 24-hour professional outer limit, alongside the general immediate-report duty, personal responsibility, and source-specific recipients.
Structured Visual
Jurisdiction: TX; as of 2026-09-11; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Scope and honesty note
Jurisdiction: Texas medical-practice statutes, as of 2026-09-11. This classroom page provides legal information, not legal or medical advice. It does not assess a patient, clinician, license, report, prescription, disclosure, privilege, disciplinary ground, offense, or outcome. Current statutes, agency rules, facts, procedure, and professional standards may differ. Render only pinned structure; refuse unsupported interpretation or action; cite, abstain, and hand off to qualified legal, medical, regulatory, or emergency professionals.
The rule in plain terms
Family Code Section 261.101(a) requires an immediate report when a person has reasonable cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect. Subsection (b) separately defines professionals by licensure, certification or employment, qualifying duties, and direct contact with children. Its current deadline is not later than the 24th hour after the hour the professional first has the specified reasonable cause; a professional may not delegate to or rely on another person. The two duties retain their own predicates. The professional outer limit is not permission to postpone a report required immediately under subsection (a). Privileged professions are not exempt under subsection (c), and subsection (b-1) separately addresses specified information about an adult's childhood abuse.
Abuse and neglect definitions
Defined terms and statutory exclusions must accompany the reasonable-cause inquiry. Verbatim statutory text: “In this chapter: (1) "Abuse" includes the following acts or omissions by a person: (A) mental or emotional injury to a child that results in an observable and material impairment in the child's growth, development, or psychological functioning; (B) causing or permitting the child to be in a situation in which the child sustains a mental or emotional injury that results in an observable and material impairment in the child's growth, development, or psychological functioning; (C) physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child, or the genuine threat of substantial harm from physical injury to the child, including an injury that is at variance with the history or explanation given and excluding an accident or reasonable discipline by a parent, guardian, or managing or possessory conservator that does not expose the child to a substantial risk of harm; (D) failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent an action by another person that results in physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child; (E) sexual conduct harmful to a child's mental, emotional, or physical welfare, including conduct that constitutes the offense of continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual under Section 21.02, Penal Code, indecency with a child under Section 21.11, Penal Code, improper relationship between educator and student under Section 21.12, Penal Code, sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal Code, or aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021, Penal Code; (F) failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent sexual conduct harmful to a child; (G) compelling or encouraging the child to engage in sexual conduct as defined by Section 43.01, Penal Code, including compelling or encouraging the child in a manner that constitutes an offense of trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8), Penal Code, solicitation of prostitution under Section 43.021, Penal Code, or compelling prostitution under Section 43.05(a)(2), Penal Code; (H) causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing the photographing, filming, or depicting of the child if the person knew or should have known that the resulting photograph, film, or depiction of the child is obscene as defined by Section 43.21, Penal Code, or pornographic; (I) the current use by a person of a controlled substance as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, in a manner or to the extent that the use results in physical, mental, or emotional injury to a child; (J) causing, expressly permitting, or encouraging a child to use a controlled substance as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code; (K) causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing a sexual performance by a child as defined by Section 43.25, Penal Code; (L) knowingly causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing a child to be trafficked in a manner punishable as an offense under Section 20A.02(a)(5), (6), (7), or (8), Penal Code, or the failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent a child from being trafficked in a manner punishable as an offense under any of those sections; or (M) forcing or coercing a child to enter into a marriage. (1-a) "Abuse" does not include the refusal by a person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare to affirm: (A) a child's perception of the child's gender, including a refusal to use a child's preferred name or pronouns, regardless of whether the child's name has been legally changed; or (B) a child's expressed sexual orientation. (2) "Department" means the Department of Family and Protective Services. (3) "Exploitation" means the illegal or improper use of a child or of the resources of a child for monetary or personal benefit, profit, or gain by an employee, volunteer, or other individual working under the auspices of a facility or program as further described by rule or policy. (3-a) "Law enforcement agency" means: (A) the Department of Public Safety; (B) the police department of a municipality; (C) the sheriff's office of a county; or (D) a constable's office of a county. (4) "Neglect" means an act or failure to act by a person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare evidencing the person's blatant disregard for the consequences of the act or failure to act that results in harm to the child or that creates an immediate danger to the child's physical health or safety and: (A) includes: (i) the leaving of a child in a situation where the child would be exposed to an immediate danger of physical or mental harm, without arranging for necessary care for the child, and the demonstration of an intent not to return by a parent, guardian, or managing or possessory conservator of the child; (ii) the following acts or omissions by a person: (a) placing a child in or failing to remove a child from a situation that a reasonable person would realize requires judgment or actions beyond the child's level of maturity, physical condition, or mental abilities and that results in bodily injury or an immediate danger of harm to the child; (b) failing to seek, obtain, or follow through with medical care for a child, with the failure resulting in or presenting an immediate danger of death, disfigurement, or bodily injury or with the failure resulting in an observable and material impairment to the growth, development, or functioning of the child; (c) the failure to provide a child with food, clothing, or shelter necessary to sustain the life or health of the child, excluding failure caused primarily by financial inability unless relief services had been offered and refused; (d) placing a child in or failing to remove the child from a situation in which the child would be exposed to an immediate danger of sexual conduct harmful to the child; or (e) placing a child in or failing to remove the child from a situation in which the child would be exposed to acts or omissions that constitute abuse under Subdivision (1)(E), (F), (G), (H), or (K) committed against another child; (iii) the failure by the person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare to permit the child to return to the child's home without arranging for the necessary care for the child after the child has been absent from the home for any reason, including having been in residential placement or having run away; or (iv) a negligent act or omission by an employee, volunteer, or other individual working under the auspices of a facility or program, including failure to comply with an individual treatment plan, plan of care, or individualized service plan, that causes or may cause substantial emotional harm or physical injury to, or the death of, a child served by the facility or program as further described by rule or policy; and (B) does not include: (i) the refusal by a person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare to permit the child to remain in or return to the child's home resulting in the placement of the child in the conservatorship of the department if: (a) the child has a severe emotional disturbance; (b) the person's refusal is based solely on the person's inability to obtain mental health services necessary to protect the safety and well-being of the child; and (c) the person has exhausted all reasonable means available to the person to obtain the mental health services described by Sub-subparagraph (b); (ii) allowing the child to engage in independent activities that are appropriate and typical for the child's level of maturity, physical condition, developmental abilities, or culture; (iii) a decision by a person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare to: (a) obtain an opinion from more than one medical provider relating to the child's medical care; (b) transfer the child's medical care to a new medical provider; or (c) transfer the child to another health care facility; Text of subparagraph as added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 555 (H.B. 1106), Sec. 1 (iv) the refusal by a person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare to affirm: (a) a child's perception of the child's gender, including a refusal to use a child's preferred name or pronouns, regardless of whether the child's name has been legally changed; or (b) a child's expressed sexual orientation Text of subparagraph as added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 215 (H.B. 1151), Sec. 2 (iv) the refusal by a person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare to administer or consent to the administration of a psychotropic medication to the child, or to consent to any other psychiatric or psychological treatment of the child, unless the refusal: (a) presents a substantial risk of death, disfigurement, or bodily injury to the child; or (b) results in an observable and material impairment to the growth, development, or functioning of the child; or (v) choosing a recognized alternative health care treatment or therapy for the child that could be considered as new, emerging, or nonstandard, unless the treatment or therapy: (a) presents a substantial risk of death, disfigurement, or bodily injury to the child; or (b) results in an observable and material impairment to the growth, development, or functioning of the child. (5) "Person responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare" means a person who traditionally is responsible for a child's care, custody, or welfare, including: (A) a parent, guardian, managing or possessory conservator, or foster parent of the child; (B) a member of the child's family or household as defined by Chapter 71; (C) a person with whom the child's parent cohabits; (D) school personnel or a volunteer at the child's school; (E) personnel or a volunteer at a public or private child-care facility that provides services for the child or at a public or private residential institution or facility where the child resides; or (F) an employee, volunteer, or other person working under the supervision of a licensed or unlicensed child-care facility, including a family home, residential child-care facility, employer-based day-care facility, or shelter day-care facility, as those terms are defined in Chapter 42, Human Resources Code. (6) "Report" means a report that alleged or suspected abuse or neglect of a child has occurred or may occur. (7) Repealed by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 316 (H.B. 5), Sec. 36(1), eff. September 1, 2017. (8) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1, Sec. 1.203(4), eff. April 2, 2015. (9) "Severe emotional disturbance" means a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to result in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits a person's role or ability to function in family, school, or community activities.” Legal citation: Tex. Family Code § 261.001. Pinned source: https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_261/section_261_001/tex_fa_261_001_587fee476831/tex_family_code_sec_261_001_definitions_in_this_chapter_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-09-11.
Immediate and professional duties
The general duty is immediate; the separately defined professional duty uses the 24th hour after the hour reasonable cause first arises and prohibits delegation or reliance on another reporter. Verbatim statutory text: “(a) A person having reasonable cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect by any person shall immediately make a report as provided by this subchapter. (b) If a professional has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected or may be abused or neglected, or that a child is a victim of an offense under Section 21.11, Penal Code, and the professional has reasonable cause to believe that the child has been abused as defined by Section 261.001, the professional shall make a report not later than the 24th hour after the hour the professional first has reasonable cause to believe that the child has been or may be abused or neglected or is a victim of an offense under Section 21.11, Penal Code. A professional may not delegate to or rely on another person to make the report. In this subsection, "professional" means an individual who is licensed or certified by the state or who is an employee of a facility licensed, certified, or operated by the state and who, in the normal course of official duties or duties for which a license or certification is required, has direct contact with children. The term includes teachers, nurses, doctors, day-care employees, employees of a clinic or health care facility that provides reproductive services, juvenile probation officers, and juvenile detention or correctional officers. (b-1) In addition to the duty to make a report under Subsection (a) or (b), a person or professional shall make a report in the manner required by Subsection (a) or (b), as applicable, if the person or professional has reasonable cause to believe that an adult was a victim of abuse or neglect as a child and the person or professional determines in good faith that disclosure of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of: (1) another child; or (2) an elderly person or person with a disability as defined by Section 48.002, Human Resources Code. (c) The requirement to report under this section applies without exception to an individual whose personal communications may otherwise be privileged, including an attorney, a member of the clergy, a medical practitioner, a social worker, a mental health professional, an employee or member of a board that licenses or certifies a professional, and an employee of a clinic or health care facility that provides reproductive services. (d) Unless waived in writing by the person making the report, the identity of an individual making a report under this chapter is confidential and may be disclosed only: (1) as provided by Section 261.201; (2) to a law enforcement officer for the purposes of conducting a criminal investigation of the report; or (3) to the Texas Education Agency or the State Board for Educator Certification, on request by the agency or board, for the purposes of: (A) conducting an investigation of the report; (B) conducting an investigation of an allegation that a person failed to submit a report as required under this chapter; or (C) compliance monitoring or conducting an investigation or review of an investigation under Section 22A.156, Education Code.” Legal citation: Tex. Family Code § 261.101. Pinned source: https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_261/section_261_101/tex_fa_261_101_cd38e7b24a7a/tex_family_code_sec_261_101_persons_required_to_report_time_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-09-11.
Proper reporting agency
The recipient depends on the statutory route, with a department requirement for the specified care, custody, or welfare circumstances and separate exceptions. Verbatim statutory text: “(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c) and Section 261.405, a report shall be made to: (1) a law enforcement agency; (2) the department; or (3) the state agency that operates, licenses, certifies, or registers the facility in which the alleged abuse or neglect occurred. (b) A report may be made to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department instead of the entities listed under Subsection (a) if the report is based on information provided by a child while under the supervision of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department concerning the child's alleged abuse of another child. (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a report, other than a report under Subsection (a)(3) or Section 261.405, must be made to the department if the alleged or suspected abuse or neglect involves a person responsible for the care, custody, or welfare of the child.” Legal citation: Tex. Family Code § 261.103. Pinned source: https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_261/section_261_103/tex_fa_261_103_44c9e6fe632b/tex_family_code_sec_261_103_report_made_to_appropriate_agenc_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-09-11.
Report contents and notice
Required report information and agency notice duties come from this provision rather than from the timing rule alone. Verbatim statutory text: “(a) The individual making a report shall identify, if known: (1) the name and address of the child; (2) the name and address of the person responsible for the care, custody, or welfare of the child; (3) the facts that caused the individual to believe the child has been abused or neglected and the source of the information; (4) the individual's name and telephone number; (5) the individual's: (A) home address; or (B) if the individual is a professional as defined by Section 261.101(b), the individual's business address and profession; and (6) any other pertinent information concerning the alleged or suspected abuse or neglect. (b) If the individual making a report of child abuse or neglect uses the toll-free telephone number the department operates for reporting child abuse or neglect and the individual is unwilling to provide the information described by Subsection (a)(4), the department representative receiving the report shall notify the individual that: (1) the department is not authorized to accept an anonymous report of abuse or neglect; (2) the individual may report the abuse or neglect by making a report to a law enforcement agency; and (3) the identity of an individual making a report under this subchapter is confidential and may be disclosed only: (A) as provided by Section 261.201; (B) to a law enforcement officer for the purposes of conducting a criminal investigation of the report; or (C) to the Texas Education Agency or the State Board for Educator Certification, on request by the agency or board, for the purposes of: (i) conducting an investigation of the report; (ii) conducting an investigation of an allegation that a person failed to submit a report as required under this chapter; or (iii) compliance monitoring or conducting an investigation or review of an investigation under Section 22A.156, Education Code. (c) The department representative or other person receiving a report of child abuse or neglect shall use the person's best efforts to obtain the information described by Subsection (a). (d) If a report of abuse or neglect is made orally, the department or law enforcement agency receiving the report shall: (1) notify the individual making the report that: (A) the report is being recorded; and (B) making a false report is a criminal offense under Section 261.107 punishable as a state jail felony or a third degree felony; and (2) make an audio recording of the report.” Legal citation: Tex. Family Code § 261.104. Pinned source: https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_261/section_261_104/tex_fa_261_104_b87d2693e3d8/tex_family_code_sec_261_104_contents_of_report_notice_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-09-11.
Work the pinned classroom record
In a synthetic timing record, a qualifying professional first has the specified reasonable cause at an explicitly recorded hour and personally submits a report 20 hours later. The classroom comparison is 20 hours against the 24-hour outer limit. It does not establish compliance with the separate immediate duty, the correct recipient, required contents, or any disputed trigger fact. The record retains the first-cause hour, reporter's statutory status, actual report time, recipient basis, required information, and the fact that a supervisor's promise was not substituted for the professional's report. The earlier pilot's 48-hour shorthand is not used as the current rule.
Limits and authored cross-references
Section 261.103 has distinct agency routes and exceptions; a generic instruction to report only to an employer or only to one agency would omit statutory conditions. Section 261.104 supplies report contents and related notices. The confidentiality of the reporter's identity is qualified by Section 261.101(d) and other applicable provisions. This page is an educational source-and-clock model, not a crisis resource, an abuse determination, or advice for handling an actual report. Uncertainty about facts, immediate safety, or professional duties requires appropriate human help without treating this model as a reason for delay.
Read the glanceable structure
The two-node preview isolates the professional outer clock and personal-report requirement. The general immediate duty and all recipient, content, privilege, and confidentiality qualifications remain explicit in the words. The diagram contains 2 deliberately limited nodes. It is a navigation aid, not law or advice; the words and pinned sources below control the classroom explanation.
Jurisdiction: TX; as of 2026-09-11; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Narrow summary
Preserve both the immediate duty and the verified 24-hour professional outer limit, retain the no-delegation rule, and review the full trigger and recipient provisions rather than certifying compliance from a timestamp.