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This flow chart shows what happens when a child abuse report is made in Minnesota. Roll over a circle to learn how often counties decide to pursue a report to determine if a child is safe, whether child protection investigates the report and how often children are re-reported for abuse. Click on a solid circle to reveal more steps in the process.

The possible paths one of the 67,888 reports filed with Child Protective Services can take:

17% Repeat Reports

After family assessment, children reported as abuse or neglect victims are the subject of new reports within 12 months.

14% Repeat Reports

After an investigation, children reported as abuse or neglect victims are the subject of new reports within 12 months.

Source: Department of Human Services Child Welfare reports, Star Tribune analysis, based on 2012 and 2013 data.

Note: Some totals add up to more than 100 percent due to overlapping responses.