Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 26.44 · 49 active provisions
The Washington state legislature finds and declares: The bond between a child and his or her parent, custodian, or guardian is of paramount importance, and any intervention into the life of a child is also an intervention into the life of the parent, custodian, or guardian; however, instances of nonaccidental injury, n…
(1) This chapter shall not be construed to authorize interference with child-raising practices, including reasonable parental discipline, which are not injurious to the child's health, welfare, or safety.(2) Nothing in this chapter may be used to prohibit the reasonable use of corporal punishment as a means of discipli…
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Abuse or neglect" means sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation as defined in RCW 18.130.460, trafficking as described in RCW 9A.40.100, sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking in…
(1)(a) When any member of the clergy, practitioner, county coroner or medical examiner, law enforcement officer, professional school personnel, registered or licensed nurse, social service counselor, psychologist, pharmacist, employee of the department of children, youth, and families, licensed or certified child care…
(1) To protect the privacy in reporting and the maintenance of reports of nonaccidental injury, neglect, death, sexual abuse, and cruelty to children by their parents, and to safeguard against arbitrary, malicious, or erroneous information or actions, the department shall not disclose or maintain information related to…
In cases in which a public employee subject to RCW 26.44.030 acts in good faith and without gross negligence in his or her reporting duty, and if the employee's judgment as to what constitutes reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect is being challenged, the public employer shall provide f…
(1) If the department or a law enforcement agency responds to a complaint of alleged child abuse or neglect and discovers that another agency has also responded to the complaint, the agency shall notify the other agency of their presence, and the agencies shall coordinate the investigation and keep each other apprised…
An immediate oral report must be made by telephone or otherwise to the proper law enforcement agency or the department and, upon request, must be followed by a report in writing. Such reports must contain the following information, if known:(1) The name, address, and age of the child;(2) The name and address of the chi…
(1) Except as provided in RCW 26.44.030(12), upon the receipt of a report alleging that abuse or neglect has occurred, the law enforcement agency or the department must investigate and provide the protective services section with a report in accordance with chapter 74.13 RCW, and where necessary to refer such report to…
(1) In any judicial proceeding under this chapter or chapter 13.34 RCW in which it is alleged that a child has been subjected to child abuse or neglect, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the child as provided in chapter 13.34 RCW. The requirement of a guardian ad litem may be deemed satisfied if the child…
(1) An administrator of a hospital or similar institution or any physician, licensed pursuant to chapters 18.71 or 18.57 RCW, may detain a child without consent of a person legally responsible for the child whether or not medical treatment is required, if there is probable cause to believe that detaining the child is n…
(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, any person participating in good faith in the making of a report pursuant to this chapter, testifying as to alleged child abuse or neglect in a judicial proceeding, or otherwise providing information or assistance, including medical evaluations or consultations, in c…
(1) The child protective services section shall prepare a statement warning against false reporting of alleged child abuse or neglect for inclusion in any instructions, informational brochures, educational forms, and handbooks developed or prepared for or by the department and relating to the reporting of abuse or negl…
(1) It is the intent of the legislature to minimize trauma to a child involved in an allegation of sexual or physical abuse. The legislature declares that removing the child from the home or the care of a parent, guardian, or legal custodian often has the effect of further traumatizing the child. It is, therefore, the…
(1) Any person having had actual notice of the existence of a restraining order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to RCW 26.44.063 who refuses to comply with the provisions of such order shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.(2) The notice requirements of subsection (1) of this section may be satisfied by…
Commencing in 1986, the prosecuting attorney shall include in the annual report a section stating the number of child abuse reports received by the office under this chapter and the number of cases where charges were filed.
Every person who is required to make, or to cause to be made, a report pursuant to RCW 26.44.030 and 26.44.040, and who knowingly fails to make, or fails to cause to be made, such report, shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
(1) The legislature finds parents and children often are not aware of their due process rights when agencies are investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect. The legislature reaffirms that all citizens, including parents, shall be afforded due process, that protection of children remains the priority of the le…
Whenever a dependency petition is filed by the department, it shall advise the parents, and any child over the age of twelve who is subject to the dependency action, of their respective rights under RCW 13.34.090. The parents and the child shall be provided a copy of the dependency petition and a copy of any court orde…
If a child has been taken into custody by law enforcement pursuant to RCW 26.44.050, the law enforcement agency shall leave a written statement with a parent or in the residence of the parent if no parent is present. The statement shall give the reasons for the removal of the child from the home and the telephone numbe…
If a child is taken into custody by child protective services pursuant to a court order issued under RCW 13.34.062, the child protective services worker shall take reasonable steps to advise the parents immediately, regardless of the time of day, that the child has been taken into custody, the reasons why the child was…
Whenever the child protective services worker is required to notify parents and children of their basic rights and other specific information as set forth in RCW 26.44.105 through 26.44.115, the child protective services worker shall also make a reasonable effort to notify the noncustodial parent of the same informatio…
(1) A person who is named as an alleged perpetrator after October 1, 1998, in a founded report of child abuse or neglect has the right to seek review and amendment of the finding as provided in this section.(2) Within thirty calendar days after the department has notified the alleged perpetrator under RCW 26.44.100 tha…
When a peace officer responds to a call alleging that a child has been subjected to sexual or physical abuse or criminal mistreatment and has probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed or responds to a call alleging that a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction has been violated, the peace…
The court shall require that an individual who, while acting in a parental role, has physically or sexually abused a child and has been removed from the home pursuant to a court order issued in a proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW, prior to being permitted to reside in the home where the child resides, complete the tre…