CHENANGO COUNTY – With many schools and other child care facilities closed due to the pandemic, the number of complaints filed by mandated reporters involving child abuse has decreased.

The number of abuse reports made to Chenango County Department of Social Services is down, while the number of people making domestic abuse hotline calls has drastically climbed.

The Chenango County Department of Social Services wants residents to stay vigilant and report acts of abuse against children and adults. The department reported domestic abuse hotline calls are up more than 160 percent since January, despite an overall downward trend in child abuse reports.

According to Chenango County Department of Social Services Director of Services Elizabeth Beers, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a difficult and distressing trend; abuse and maltreatment reports have declined sharply due to the need for the public to isolate from each other and the closing of school districts, which are primary sources for abuse and neglect reports.

“While reports have diminished drastically, we know that difficult and even dangerous situations still persist for children in our county, and further, the added strains and isolation caused by the pandemic, both economic and social, may actually be increasing the risk of neglect,” said Beers

Beers said school personnel have historically been the largest abuse reporting demographic, and in 2019, 58 percent of all reports were made by a mandated reporter. Beers added that of that 58 percent 39 percent were school personnel.