4304. Active, Diligent, and Reasonable Efforts

Applies To: This policy applies to caseworkers.

Policy Number & Title: 4304. Active, Diligent, and Reasonable Efforts

Effective Date: July 1, 2024

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on the required use of:

Active efforts when there is reason to know children are or may be Indian children to:
- Prevent their removal.
- Promote timely reunification of Indian families.
Diligent efforts when serving parents or guardians.
Reasonable efforts to:
- Prevent children’s or youth’s removal from parents or guardians, even:
  - When they were not residing with the children or youth at the time of removal.
  - In emergent circumstances.
- Achieve timely permanency.

25 U.S.C. I Federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
PL 105-89 Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997
Chapter 13.34 RCW Juvenile Court Act-Dependency and Termination of Parent-Child Relationship
Chapter 13.38 RCW Indian Child Welfare Act
Chapter 26.44 RCW Abuse of Children

Caseworkers must:

Make:
1. Active efforts when there is reason to know children are or may be Indian children to prevent the children’s removal and promote timely reunification of Indian families, per Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Child Protective Services Investigation and Family Assessment Response policy.
2. Diligent efforts to serve and notify parents or guardians, per the Dependency Petition Process policy.
3. Reasonable efforts to:
  1. Prevent placement of children and youth in out-of-home care.
  2. Assess the parent or guardian the children or youth do not primarily reside with before the initial removal and prior to the shelter care hearing.
Offer services to families to promote reunification, unless a court made a finding of aggravated circumstances.
Return children and youth home when safety threats have been managed or have been mitigated, per the Safety Assessment policy.
Maintain stability for children and youth.
Achieve timely permanency when children and youth are placed in out-of-home care.