1120. Safety Assessment

Applies To:  This policy applies to Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) employees.

Policy Number & Title:  1120. Safety Assessment

Effective Date:  July 1, 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on completing a safety assessment. A safety assessment is:

  • A family assessment based on comprehensive information gathered throughout the life of a case.
  • Used to identify impending danger and determine if a Safety Plan is needed because children or youth are unsafe.
  • To determine the level of supervision during family time visits. 

For Licensing Division Child Protective Services (LD CPS) investigators, also follow the LD CPS Use of Safety Assessment and Safety Planning Tools policy.

Authority

PL 105-89  Adoption Safe Family Act

RCW 26.44.030  Reports, duty and authority to make, duty of receiving agency, duty to notify, case planning and consultation, penalty for unauthorized exchange of information, filing dependency petitions, investigations, interviews of children, records, risk assessment process

RCW 26.44.195  Negligent treatment or maltreatment, offer services, evidence of substance abuse, in-home services, initiation of dependency proceedings

Policy

Caseworkers must:

  1. Determine children’s or youth’s safety by gathering and assessing comprehensive information about a family's behaviors, functioning, and conditions.
  2. Complete a:
    1.  Safety Assessment/Safety Plan DCYF 15-258 form in FamLink:
      1. At key decision points in a case to determine if safety threats exist and whether a safety plan can be developed with families to control or manage the identified threats.
      2. To determine the level of supervision needed for family time. 

Forms

Safety Assessment/Safety Plan DCYF 15-258

Resources

LD CPS Use of Safety Assessment and Safety Planning Tools policy

Safety Assessment procedures (Located in the DCYF Policies and Rules Office SharePoint)

Original Date:  December 2011

Revised Date:  July 1, 2024

Review Date:   July 31, 2028

Approved by:  Natalie Green, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Division and Ruben Reeves, Assistant Secretary of Licensing Division