NYS Takes a Bold Step: Passage of S550A to Make Child Abuse Reporting More Accountable and Transparent
Posted July 15, 2025 · by Summer Johnson
A Milestone in Child Protection
In June 2025, Senate Bill S550A into law. This landmark measure requires every caller—mandated or voluntary—to provide their name and contact information when reporting suspected child abuse to the Statewide Central Register (SCR), while robustly protecting caller confidentiality.
Child Maltreatment in New York: The Numbers
In 2022, New York had 31,710 indicated reports of child maltreatment. Total reports statewide climbed to 148,914.
The indication rate was 24.7% in NYC, compared to 19.6% in the rest of the state.
Over 54,700 children were investigated in New York City alone in 2023.
More than 300 child fatalities from maltreatment occur annually in New York—roughly 12% of the national total.
Nationally, 74.3% of victims suffer neglect, 17.0% physical abuse, and 8.5% sexual abuse.
Why S550A Is Timely and Necessary
Accountability & Credibility: Named reporting discourages abuse of the system while preserving whistleblower protections.
Improved Investigations: Contactable reporters lead to more reliable and timely investigations.
Stronger Trust: Confidentiality remains, while ensuring that CPS has the information needed to act responsibly and quickly.
Removing gender stereotypes in reporting, by building trust within the system for REAL victims and caregivers to come forward.
What Comes Next for Family Justice Reform
While S550A is a powerful step forward, it’s only one part of the broader solution. If we are truly committed to improving outcomes for children and families, family court reform must include meaningful promotion of shared parenting.
Shared Parenting: A Critical Next Step
Research consistently shows that children do better—academically, emotionally, and behaviorally—when both fit, loving parents are actively involved in their lives, even after separation or divorce.
Here’s why shared parenting must be a focus of New York’s next legislative wave:
Reduces conflict and litigation: Presumptive shared parenting discourages prolonged custody battles and parental alienation.
Protects children’s well-being: Studies show improved outcomes when both parents maintain regular and meaningful contact with their children.
Aligns with child-first values: Courts should not be arenas for punitive battles; they should prioritize long-term stability and balanced caregiving.
Discourages misuse of the abuse registry: Some false or exaggerated abuse reports are used to gain leverage in custody disputes. Shared parenting laws, alongside S550A, help reduce these abuses.
Legislative Models to Watch
States like Kentucky, Arizona, and Arkansas have adopted presumptive joint custody laws, resulting in:
Shorter custody disputes
Fewer court filings
Greater parental satisfaction
No increases in risk to children
New York now has the opportunity to join this growing national movement by advancing legislation that makes shared parenting the default starting point, while allowing courts to make exceptions when truly necessary.
S550A is a strong statement: abuse reporting must be accurate, responsible, and fair. The next step is to ensure the entire family law system reflects those same values—by promoting shared parenting, improving judicial training, and ensuring family court truly serves the best interests of children.
