An investigation has found that most callers to the Illinois child abuse hotline don't reach a welfare specialist on their first try.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services took messages for more than 60% of those calls. The newspaper report says a delayed response can endanger children.

It was analyzed hotline calls over an 11-year period. In 2001, nearly 70% of hotline callers got a specialist on the first try. Today, it's less than 40%.

Department spokesman Kendall Marlowe says the hotline needs to be properly staffed to avoid messages.

State law requires the department to operate the hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week.