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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78112</law_id><section_number>63.2-1508</section_number><catch_line>Valid report or complaint</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>63.2-1530</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Social Services Programs</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="15">Child Abuse and Neglect</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Complaints</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A valid report or complaint means the <span class="dictionary">local department</span> has evaluated the information and <span class="dictionary">allegations</span> of the report or complaint and determined that the <span class="dictionary">local department</span> shall conduct an investigation, family assessment, or human trafficking assessment because the following elements are present: <a id="paragraph-280030" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The alleged victim <span class="dictionary">child</span> or children are under 18 years of age at the time of the complaint or report; <a id="paragraph-280031" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The alleged abuser is the alleged victim child&#x2019;s parent or other caretaker or, for purposes of abuse or neglect described in subdivision 4 of the definition of &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">abused or neglected child</span>&#x201D; in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/63.2-100/">63.2-100</a>, an intimate partner of such parent or caretaker; <a id="paragraph-280032" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The <span class="dictionary">local department</span> receiving the complaint or report has <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>; and <a id="paragraph-280033" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The circumstances described allege suspected child abuse or neglect. <a id="paragraph-280034" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A valid report or complaint regarding a child who has been identified as a victim of sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C &#xA7; 7102 et seq.) and in the federal Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-22) may be established regardless of who the alleged abuser is or whether the alleged abuser has been identified. <a id="paragraph-280035" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Nothing in this section shall relieve any person specified in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Requirement that certain injuries to children be reported by physicians, nurses, teachers, etc.; penalty for failure to report" href="/63.2-1509/">63.2-1509</a> from making a report required by that section, regardless of the identity of the person suspected to have caused such abuse or neglect. <a id="paragraph-280036" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">local department</span> receiving the complaint or report does not have <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">local department</span> that has <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> to investigate such complaint or report is located in the Commonwealth, the <span class="dictionary">local department</span> that received the report or complaint shall forward the complaint or report to the appropriate <span class="dictionary">local department</span>. <a id="paragraph-280037" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/63.2-1508/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1975, c. 341, &#xA7; 63.1-248.2; 1981, c. 123; 1986, c. 308; 1990, c. 760; 1995, c. 520; 2000, c. 500; 2002, c. 747; 2019, cc. 381, 687; 2022, c. 366.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
