Who must report any serious incident involving a child under the care of a foster parent?

• A. The foster parent must report to the Texas Abuse and Neglect Hotline
• B. The school principal
• C. The local police
• D. The licensing caseworker

Answer: (A)

When a serious incident involves a child under a foster parent’s care, the foster parent is the one responsible for making the initial report to the Texas Abuse Hotline. This hotline is the designated channel for reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or endangerment to DFPS, and the intake determines whether an investigation should be opened. The focus here is on ensuring a prompt protective response for the child, which is why the hotline report is the required first step. After filing the hotline report, the licensing caseworker should be notified per agency policy, and other authorities (such as police or school personnel) may get involved as appropriate, but the mandatory report goes to the Texas Abuse Hotline.