1100. Child Safety

Policy Number & Title: 1100. Child Safety

Effective Date: December 1, 2011

Purpose

Providing for child safety is part of DCYF's core mission. Safety is the primary and essential focus that informs and guides all decisions made from Intake through case closure. This includes removal and reunification decisions. Assessing the safety of children and youth is essential in all placement settings (in-home and out-of-home).

Authority

45 C.F.R. § 1340 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Treatment

45 C.F.R. § 1357.20 Child Abuse and Neglect Programs

PL 93-247 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act

Chapter 13.34 RCW Dependency and Termination of Parent-Child Relationship

Chapter 26.44 RCW Abuse of Children

Chapter 74.13 RCW Child Welfare Services

Chapter 110-30 WAC Child Protective Services Chapter 110-50 WAC Child Welfare

Policy

Decisions on child safety are based on comprehensive information, logical reasoning and analysis (not incident-based or reactionary).
The safety decision making process must include a continuous assessment of present and impending danger throughout the life of the case.
A focus on safety must be maintained from the initial assessment through case closure using required tools to assess, control and manage safety threats.
Every caseworker will assess the safety of the child or youth for present or impending danger. If present danger exists, the caseworker will take an immediate protective action.
A decision that a child or youth is unsafe does not mean the child or youth must be removed.
A decision to place a child or youth in out-of-home care is a safety decision. This level of intervention is only justified when it is clear the child’s or youth’s safety cannot be controlled and managed in the home.
Conditions for return home are designed to ensure that children or youth are returned when no safety threats exist or an in-home safety plan can be implemented and sustained. Also, there is indication that the parents or guardians are moving towards change to control and manage child safety.