Ch. 835                          MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                              1711

(3) The age or ages of the child or children;

(4)  The nature and extent of the injuries or  injury of the child or children in
question, including any evidence or information  available to the person or agency
rendering the report of previous injury or   injuries possibly resulting from
[malicious mistreatment or beating] ABUSE;

(5)  All such information available to the reporter which would be of aid in
establishing the cause of the injuries OR INJURY and identity of the person or
persons responsible therefor.

(E) ANY PERSON OTHER THAN A HEALTH PRACTITIONER,
EDUCATOR OR SOCIAL WORKER, OR LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
WHO HAS REASON TO BELIEVE A CHILD IS ABUSED SHALL SO
REPORT TO THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES [ [IF
SUCH AGENCY PROVIDES ROUND-THE-CLOCK PROTECTIVE
SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, OTHERWISE THE ORAL REPORT SHALL
BE MADE]] OR TO THE APPROPRIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. THE AGENCY TO WHICH THE REPORT IS MADE SHALL
IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE OTHER AGENCY. NOTHING, HOWEVER,
SHALL PROHIBIT THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
OR THE APPROPRIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FROM
JOINTLY AGREEING TO COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS. A report
made by [anyone other than a health practitioner, education or social service
worker, or law-enforcement officer] SUCH PERSON may be either written or
oral, or both, and such [reports] REPORT shall be regarded as a report within
the provisions of this section, whether or not the report contains all of the required
information provided for in [this] subsection (D). [Such reports by private persons
or agencies other than the local department of social services shall be promptly
referred by the receiving agency to the local department of social services. The
local department of social services shall promptly interview the private party who
has made a report of possible violations of the provisions of this section, to
determine if there is probable cause to believe that the child (or children) in
question has in fact sustained physical injury as a result of abuse, as by malicious
beating, striking, or other such cruel or inhumane treatment. If the local
department of social services determines that there is probable cause to so believe
that a violation of this section has been committed, then the local department of
social services shall proceed with the investigation required under subsection (e)
hereof.]

[(e)] (F) The local department of social services OR THE APPROPRIATE
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AS THE CASE MAY BE, OR BOTH, IF
JOINTLY AGREED UPON, shall make a thorough investigation promptly upon
receiving a report of probable violation of this section, and the primary purpose of
the investigation shall be the protection of the welfare of the child or children. The
investigation shall include a determination of the nature, extent and cause or
causes of the [injuries] ABUSE, IF ANY; UPON VALIDATION OF THE
SUSPECTED ABUSE, THE INVESTIGATION SHALL THEN ASCERTAIN
the identity of the person or persons responsible therefor, the name, age and
condition of other children in the same household, an evaluation of the parents and
the home environment, and all other facts or matters found to be pertinent. The
local department of social services, AND THE APPROPRIATE
LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IF THAT AGENCY PARTICIPATED IN
THE INVESTIGATION, shall render a complete written report of its findings to
the local State's attorney within five (5) working days of the completion of the
investigation, which shall be within ten (10) days of the receipt of the oral or
written report first disclosing to the local department of social services the
existence of a possible violation of this section. Upon request by the local