If the department cannot find the child who is the subject of a report, who will they notify?

The correct choice reflects that in cases where a child is reported missing or cannot be found, the appropriate agency to notify is the Department of Public Safety (DPS). This is pertinent because the DPS can assist with state-level resources and coordination in efforts to locate the child, especially when the situation may require broader intervention beyond local law enforcement capabilities. This ensures that the situation is escalated to the right level, allowing for additional resources and support to help locate the missing child.

In this context, Child Protective Services (CPS) deals primarily with cases of abuse and neglect rather than locating missing children, local police would already be involved in handling the report and may not be the agency to escalate to, and notifying the child’s school, while potentially useful for information, does not directly support the effort to locate the child in an official capacity. Therefore, notifying the DPS is crucial to mobilizing necessary support in safeguarding the child's welfare.