Wis. Stat. § 48.981
This is the official text of Wis. Stat. § 48.981, part of Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Statutes — the complete compiled statutory law of Wisconsin, organized into numbered chapters by subject.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Abused or neglected children and abused unborn children.
Official statutory text
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(ag) “Agency” means a county department, the department in a county having a population of 750,000 or more or a licensed child welfare agency under contract with a county department or the department in a county having a population of 750,000 or more to perform investigations under this section.
(am) “Caregiver” means, with respect to a child who is the victim or alleged victim of abuse or neglect or who is threatened with abuse or neglect, any of the following persons:
1. The child’s parent, grandparent, greatgrandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, or half sister.
2. The child’s guardian.
3. The child’s legal custodian.
4. A person who resides or has resided regularly or intermittently in the same dwelling as the child.
5. An employee of a residential facility or residential care center for children and youth in which the child was or is placed.
6. A person who provides or has provided care for the child in or outside of the child’s home.
7. Any other person who exercises or has exercised temporary or permanent control over the child or who temporarily or permanently supervises or has supervised the child.
8. Any relative of the child other than a relative specified in subd. 1.
(b) “Community placement” means probation; extended supervision; parole; aftercare; conditional transfer into the community under s. 51.35 (1) ; conditional transfer or discharge under s. 51.37 (9) ; placement in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth or a Type 2 juvenile correctional facility authorized under s. 938.539 (5) ; conditional release under s. 971.17 ; supervised release under s. 980.06 or 980.08 ; participation in the community residential confinement program under s. 301.046 , the intensive sanctions program under s. 301.048 , community supervision under s. 938.533 , the intensive supervision program under s. 938.534 , or the serious juvenile offender program under s. 938.538 ; or any other placement of an adult or juvenile offender in the community under the custody or supervision of the department of corrections, the department of health services, a county department under s. 46.215 , 46.22 , 46.23 , 51.42 , or 51.437 or any other person under contract with the department of corrections, the department of health services or a county department under s. 46.215 , 46.22 , 46.23 , 51.42 , or 51.437 to exercise custody or supervision over the offender.
(ct) “Indian unborn child” means an unborn child who, when born, may be eligible for affiliation with an Indian tribe in any of the following ways:
1. As a member of the Indian tribe.
2. As a person who is eligible for membership in an Indian tribe and the biological child of a member of an Indian tribe.
(cu) “Juvenile correctional officer” means a person employed by the state, a political subdivision of the state, a child welfare agency that is licensed under s. 48.66 (1) (b) , or a private entity contracting under s. 938.222 whose principal duty is the supervision of juveniles held in a juvenile detention facility, a juvenile correctional facility, or a secured residential care center for children and youth.
(cv) “Member of a religious order” means an individual who has taken vows devoting himself or herself to religious or spiritual principles and who is authorized or appointed by his or her religious order or organization to provide spiritual or religious advice or service.
(cx) “Member of the clergy” has the meaning given in s. 765.002 (1) or means a member of a religious order, and includes brothers, ministers, monks, nuns, priests, rabbis, and sisters.
(f) “Record” means any document relating to the investigation, assessment and disposition of a report under this section.
(g) “Reporter” means a person who reports suspected abuse or neglect or a belief that abuse or neglect will occur under this section.
g given in s. 765.002 (1) or means a member of a religious order, and includes brothers, ministers, monks, nuns, priests, rabbis, and sisters.
(f) “Record” means any document relating to the investigation, assessment and disposition of a report under this section.
(g) “Reporter” means a person who reports suspected abuse or neglect or a belief that abuse or neglect will occur under this section.
(h) “Subject” means a person or unborn child named in a report or record as any of the following:
1. A child who is the victim or alleged victim of abuse or neglect or who is threatened with abuse or neglect.
1m. An unborn child who is the victim or alleged victim of abuse or who is at substantial risk of abuse.
2. A person who is suspected of abuse or neglect or who has been determined to have abused or neglected a child or to have abused an unborn child.
(i) “Tribal agent” means the person designated under 25 CFR 23.12 by an Indian tribe to receive notice of involuntary child custody proceedings under the federal Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 USC 1901 to 1963 .
(2) Persons required to report.
(a) Any of the following persons who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child seen by the person in the course of professional duties has been abused or neglected or who has reason to believe that a child seen by the person in the course of professional duties has been threatened with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect of the child will occur shall, except as provided under subs. (2m) and (2r) , report as provided in sub. (3) :
1. A physician.
1m. A naturopathic doctor.
2. A coroner.
3. A medical examiner.
4. A nurse.
5. A dentist.
6. A chiropractor.
7. An optometrist.
8. An acupuncturist.
9. A medical or mental health professional not otherwise specified in this paragraph.
10. A social worker.
11. A marriage and family therapist.
12. A professional counselor.
13. A public assistance worker, including a financial and employment planner, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (d) .
14. A school teacher.
15. A school administrator.
16. A school counselor.
16m. A school employee not otherwise specified in this paragraph.
17. A mediator under s. 767.405 .
18. A child care worker in a child care center, group home, or residential care center for children and youth.
19. A child care provider.
20. An alcohol or other drug abuse counselor.
20m. A genetic counselor.
21. A member of the treatment staff employed by or working under contract with a county department under s. 46.23 , 51.42 , or 51.437 or a residential care center for children and youth.
22. A physical therapist.
22m. A physical therapist assistant.
23. An occupational therapist.
24. A dietitian.
25. A speech-language pathologist.
26. An audiologist.
27. An emergency medical services practitioner.
28. An emergency medical responder, as defined in s. 256.01 (4p) .
(ag) “Agency” means a county department, the department in a county having a population of 750,000 or more or a licensed child welfare agency under contract with a county department or the department in a county having a population of 750,000 or more to perform investigations under this section.
(am) “Caregiver” means, with respect to a child who is the victim or alleged victim of abuse or neglect or who is threatened with abuse or neglect, any of the following persons:
1. The child’s parent, grandparent, greatgrandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, or half sister.
2. The child’s guardian.
3. The child’s legal custodian.
4. A person who resides or has resided regularly or intermittently in the same dwelling as the child.
5. An employee of a residential facility or residential care center for children and youth in which the child was or is placed.
6. A person who provides or has provided care for the child in or outside of the child’s home.
7. Any other person who exercises or has exercised temporary or permanent control over the child or who temporarily or permanently supervises or has supervised the child.
8. Any relative of the child other than a relative specified in subd. 1.
(b) “Community placement” means probation; extended supervision; parole; aftercare; conditional transfer into the community under s. 51.35 (1) ; conditional transfer or discharge under s. 51.37 (9) ; placement in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth or a Type 2 juvenile correctional facility authorized under s. 938.539 (5) ; conditional release under s. 971.17 ; supervised release under s. 980.06 or 980.08 ; participation in the community residential confinement program under s. 301.046 , the intensive sanctions program under s. 301.048 , community supervision under s. 938.533 , the intensive supervision program under s. 938.534 , or the serious juvenile offender program under s. 938.538 ; or any other placement of an adult or juvenile offender in the community under the custody or supervision of the department of corrections, the department of health services, a county department under s. 46.215 , 46.22 , 46.23 , 51.42 , or 51.437 or any other person under contract with the department of corrections, the department of health services or a county department under s. 46.215 , 46.22 , 46.23 , 51.42 , or 51.437 to exercise custody or supervision over the offender.
(ct) “Indian unborn child” means an unborn child who, when born, may be eligible for affiliation with an Indian tribe in any of the following ways:
1. As a member of the Indian tribe.
2. As a person who is eligible for membership in an Indian tribe and the biological child of a member of an Indian tribe.
(cu) “Juvenile correctional officer” means a person employed by the state, a political subdivision of the state, a child welfare agency that is licensed under s. 48.66 (1) (b) , or a private entity contracting under s. 938.222 whose principal duty is the supervision of juveniles held in a juvenile detention facility, a juvenile correctional facility, or a secured residential care center for children and youth.
(cv) “Member of a religious order” means an individual who has taken vows devoting himself or herself to religious or spiritual principles and who is authorized or appointed by his or her religious order or organization to provide spiritual or religious advice or service.
(cx) “Member of the clergy” has the meaning given in s. 765.002 (1) or means a member of a religious order, and includes brothers, ministers, monks, nuns, priests, rabbis, and sisters.
(f) “Record” means any document relating to the investigation, assessment and disposition of a report under this section.
(g) “Reporter” means a person who reports suspected abuse or neglect or a belief that abuse or neglect will occur under this section.
g given in s. 765.002 (1) or means a member of a religious order, and includes brothers, ministers, monks, nuns, priests, rabbis, and sisters.
(f) “Record” means any document relating to the investigation, assessment and disposition of a report under this section.
(g) “Reporter” means a person who reports suspected abuse or neglect or a belief that abuse or neglect will occur under this section.
(h) “Subject” means a person or unborn child named in a report or record as any of the following:
1. A child who is the victim or alleged victim of abuse or neglect or who is threatened with abuse or neglect.
1m. An unborn child who is the victim or alleged victim of abuse or who is at substantial risk of abuse.
2. A person who is suspected of abuse or neglect or who has been determined to have abused or neglected a child or to have abused an unborn child.
(i) “Tribal agent” means the person designated under 25 CFR 23.12 by an Indian tribe to receive notice of involuntary child custody proceedings under the federal Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 USC 1901 to 1963 .
(2) Persons required to report.
(a) Any of the following persons who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child seen by the person in the course of professional duties has been abused or neglected or who has reason to believe that a child seen by the person in the course of professional duties has been threatened with abuse or neglect and that abuse or neglect of the child will occur shall, except as provided under subs. (2m) and (2r) , report as provided in sub. (3) :
1. A physician.
1m. A naturopathic doctor.
2. A coroner.
3. A medical examiner.
4. A nurse.
5. A dentist.
6. A chiropractor.
7. An optometrist.
8. An acupuncturist.
9. A medical or mental health professional not otherwise specified in this paragraph.
10. A social worker.
11. A marriage and family therapist.
12. A professional counselor.
13. A public assistance worker, including a financial and employment planner, as defined in s. 49.141 (1) (d) .
14. A school teacher.
15. A school administrator.
16. A school counselor.
16m. A school employee not otherwise specified in this paragraph.
17. A mediator under s. 767.405 .
18. A child care worker in a child care center, group home, or residential care center for children and youth.
19. A child care provider.
20. An alcohol or other drug abuse counselor.
20m. A genetic counselor.
21. A member of the treatment staff employed by or working under contract with a county department under s. 46.23 , 51.42 , or 51.437 or a residential care center for children and youth.
22. A physical therapist.
22m. A physical therapist assistant.
23. An occupational therapist.
24. A dietitian.
25. A speech-language pathologist.
26. An audiologist.
27. An emergency medical services practitioner.
28. An emergency medical responder, as defined in s. 256.01 (4p) .
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Wisconsin?
Find a Wisconsin lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.