Department of Children, Youth & Families

Original Date: September 27, 1995

Revised Date: July 1, 2024

Sunset Review Date: July 31, 2028

Approved by: Natalie Green, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Division

Policy Update Memo Effective December 5, 2022-Child Welfare

Policy Update Memo Effective January 3, 2023-Licensing Division

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide direction when making initial face-to-face (IFF) contact with victims or identified children and youth for child protective services (CPS) cases.

Scope

This policy applies to Child Welfare (CW) and Licensing Division (LD) CPS employees

Laws

RCW 26.44.020 Definitions

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 74.13.031 Duties of the department-Child welfare services-Children’s services advisory committee

Policy

Caseworkers, after-hours workers, and LD CPS investigators must:

Meet in-person with the victims or identified children or youth within the following timeframes once DCYF receives the intake:
1. Twenty-four hours for emergent responses.
2. Seventy-two hours for non-emergent responses.
CPS caseworkers must:
1. Determine if there is reason to know children are or may be Indian children, as outlined in the Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Reason to Know Tribal Inquiry policy.
2. If there is reason to know children are or may be Indian children, follow ICW policies:
  1. Tribal-State Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) if there is a MOA in place with the tribe.
  2. CPS Investigation and Family Assessment Response to conduct a CPS investigation or CPS FAR.

Procedures

Required Efforts to Conduct the IFF
1. Caseworkers must:
  1. Within 24-hours or 72-hours of receiving the intake, at a minimum, complete one of the following, unless upon discussion with the supervisor it is determined attempts to locate the victims or identified children or youth is not in the best interest of their safety:
    1. Make two physical attempts to complete in-person contact with the victims or identified children or youth in a location where it is reasonable to expect they will be located.
    2. Complete all of the following:
      1. One physical attempt to complete the in-person contact with the victims or identified children or youth within the response time at a location where it is reasonable to expect the victims or identified children or youth to be found.
      2. One collateral contact with a minimum of one individual who may have knowledge of the family or current location of the victims or identified children or youth in an effort to determine their location and make in-person contact within the timeframes. If a collateral contact is unable to be located discuss next steps with the supervisor.
      3. A second physical attempt when the first in-person attempt was not successful and the location is known or new information is obtained. If a new location is identified that is not in close proximity to the location of the initial attempt, attempts to coordinate initial contact must occur by the end of the day.
  2. Discuss with their supervisor if it is determined the IFF may not be achieved within the timeframes and whether an extension or exception is needed if the victims or identified children or youth have:
    1. Not been located after two attempts and if additional attempts need to be made within the timeframes.
    2. Been located, but:
      1. Are temporarily out-of-state for a verified specific period of time and the other state declines to complete a courtesy IFF. If this occurs, obtain verification from a reliable source that the children or youth are out-of-state and when they are expected to return.
      2. Law Enforcement (LE) requested to delay the IFF contact and notified the caseworker they are prohibited from making any contact, including conducting a present danger assessment, per the County Child Abuse, Fatality, and Criminal Neglect Investigation Protocols. If this occurs, obtain the name of the LE officer requesting to delay the IFF and request the length of time the IFF is expected to be delayed.
2. LD CPS investigators must complete the following for victims or identified children or youth:
  1. Determine their legal status.
  2. Verify whether they are:
    1. In the placement care and authority of DCYF.
    2. A biological or adoptive child of an individual who is not named as a subject of the intake. If they are, obtain parental or guardian permission prior to contacting the victim, unless the victims or identified children or youth are determined to be at imminent risk of harm.
  3. Within 24-hours or 72-hours of being assigned an intake, at a minimum, complete all of the following:
    1. One physical attempt to complete the in-person contact with the victims or identified children or youth within the response time at a location where it is reasonable to expect the victims or identified children or youth to be found.
    2. One collateral contact with a minimum of one individual who may have knowledge of the family or current location of the victims or identified children or youth in an effort to determine their location and make contact within the timeframes.
  4. Discuss with their supervisor when the IFF may not be achieved within the timeframes to determine whether an extension or exception is needed. If the victims or identified children or youth have been located, but:
    1. Are temporarily out-of-state for a verified specific period of time and the other state declines to complete a courtesy IFF. If this occurs, obtain verification from a reliable source that the children or youth are out-of-state and when they are expected to return.
    2. LE requested to delay the IFF contact and notified them that they are prohibited from making any contact, including conducting a present danger assessment, per the County Child Abuse, Fatality, and Criminal Neglect Investigation Protocols. If this occurs, obtain the name of the LE officer requesting to delay the IFF and request the length of time the IFF is expected to be delayed.
3. Caseworkers and LD CPS investigators must:
  1. Add any victims who were not initially identified on the original intake when there are no new allegations of child abuse and neglect (CA/N) to the Investigative Assessment or FAR Family Assessment, and complete the IFF:
    1. Per the original screening decision.
    2. From the date and time additional victims are identified, and within:
      1. Twenty-four hours, for emergent responses.
      2. Seventy-two hours, for non-emergent responses.
  2. Generate a new intake if additional victims are identified with new allegations of CA/N.
  3. Discuss with their supervisor if any worker safety concerns are identified and need to be addressed through assistance from LE or additional supports.
  4. Continue to attempt to locate the victims or identified children or youth within the required timeframes and complete the following efforts, if:
    1. Caregivers indicate they do not know where the victims or identified children or youth are located and they have not contacted LE to report them as a runaway or missing, caseworkers must make a report to LE.
    2. There is verification from a reputable source that the victims or identified children or youth has moved out-of-state before the IFF is conducted, caseworkers and LD CPS investigators must contact that state’s child welfare agency to report the allegations of CA/N.
    3. The victims or identified children or youth are temporarily out-of-state and the child welfare agency of that state was contacted to request an IFF. If the state is unresponsive or refuses to complete the IFF and there are safety concerns:
      1. Call LE for a welfare check.
      2. Discuss with their supervisor the need for an extension either:
        Every seven days when there is no verifiable date the child or youth is expected to return to Washington State.
        When there is a verifiable date the child or youth is returning to Washington State.
      3. Complete the IFF within 24-hours of DCYF knowing the child or youth has returned to Washington State.
    4. The IFF contact has been delayed due to a LE request. If this occurs:
      1. Discuss with their supervisor the need for an extension either:
        Every seven days when LE doesn’t provide a date the IFF can be completed.
        When LE provides a date.
      2. Provide the name of the LE officer and the date the IFF can be completed.
      3. Complete the IFF within 24 hours of LE allowing the IFF.
  5. Not complete IFF contacts out of Washington State.
4. Caseworkers and LD CPS investigators may refer to the Guidelines for Reasonable Efforts to Locate Children and/or Parents DCYF 02-607 as a resource when victims or identified children or youth cannot be located.
IFF Requirements During After Hours
1. When emergent intakes require an immediate response during after-hours:
  1. CW after-hours supervisors must:
    1. Contact:
      1. A CW after-hours supervisor or area administrator (AA) and request the after-hours worker to respond if an extension is not recommended by either the CW after-hours supervisor or the LD CPS on-call supervisor.
      2. An on-call LD CPS supervisor to determine if an after-hours response is necessary on an LD CPS intake or whether an extension is appropriate on a LD CPS case.
    2. Make the final decision if there is conflict regarding a screening decision for an after-hours 24-hour emergent intake.
  2. An after-hours supervisor or AA must contact the after-hours worker to:
    1. Attempt to make the IFF.
    2. Address worker safety.
2. CI supervisors must email emergent intakes to the after-hours supervisor or AA when an emergent intake does not require immediate response by an after-hours worker.
3. After-hours supervisors must review non-emergent intakes assigned to the straw email box to determine if the IFF initial timeframe will expire before the next calendar day and assess the need to initiate after-hours contact.
4. When present danger is identified during the IFF by after-hour workers, the following must be completed:
  1. After-hours workers must immediately report to their supervisor present danger has been identified and describe the protective actions taken.
  2. After-hours supervisors or AA’s must:
    1. Review and verbally approve the protective action taken.
    2. Document the protective action and approval in a FamLink case note.
Extensions to the IFF Timeframe
1. CW supervisors must:
  1. Only enter IFF extensions when any of the following occurs:
    1. The intake was received by an intake caseworker on the last business day of a work week and it was not reviewed by an intake supervisor until the next business day. The field supervisor receiving the screened-in intake may approve a 24-hour extension from the date and time the intake supervisor made the final screening decision.
    2. The safety of the victims or identified children or youth will be compromised if an extension is not granted. The IFF may be extended with AA approval.
    3. A CPS intake is screened out by an intake supervisor and the assigned field supervisor screens-in the intake.
    4. A reliable verification has been obtained by the caseworker that the child or youth is out-of-state for a specific period of time and the other state does not respond or declines to complete a courtesy IFF. When this occurs:
      1. Review the verification obtained that the child or youth is out-of-state. If the date of return is:
        Verified, enter the extension until the scheduled return date.
        Not verified, enter an extension every seven calendar days until the IFF contact occurs.
      2. Document the caseworker’s efforts made to verify the child or youth is still out-of-state when there is no verifiable return date with each new extension.
    5. LE requested to delay the IFF contact and tells the caseworker they are not to make any contact with the victims or identified children or youth, including a present danger assessment, per the County Child Abuse, Fatality, and Criminal Neglect Investigation Protocols. When this occurs:
      1. Verify the name of the LE officer requesting the delay and the length of time estimated for the delay. If LE:
        Provides a specific date when the IFF can occur, enter the extension for that date.
        Does not provide a specific date, enter an extension every seven calendar days until the IFF occurs.
      2. Document the:
        Verification of the continued need for the delay, with each new extension.
        The caseworker’s efforts made to obtain a date from LE allowing the IFF when a date is not provided.
    6. Efforts to locate, as described in Procedures Section 1.a., were made by caseworkers within the 24-hour or 72-hour timeframes. When this occurs:
      1. Review the caseworker’s documented efforts to locate the victims or identified children or youth.
      2. Enter an extension if required efforts to locate the victims or identified children or youth has been made, every:
        Twenty-four hours on emergent intakes, until the IFF contact occurs.
        Seventy-two hours on non-emergent intakes, until the IFF occurs, excluding weekends and holidays.
      3. Not enter an extension if additional efforts need to be made and discuss with caseworkers what additional efforts are needed.
  2. Continue to monitor efforts made, when required, and add a new extension if the victims or identified children or youth have not been seen within the following timeframes. Every:
    1. Twenty-four hours until the IFF occurs for assigned 24-hour timeframes.
    2. Seventy-two hours, excluding weekends and holidays, for assigned 72-hour timeframes.
    3. Seven calendar days if LE requested the delay or until the date the child or youth will return to Washington State and a verifiable date is not available.
2. LD CPS supervisors must review requests for an extension and only approve extensions when the following occurs:
  1. The safety of the victims or identified children or youth will be compromised if an extension is not granted and the extension is approved by the LD AA.
  2. LE requested to delay the IFF contact and notified the investigator they are not to make any contact with the victims or identified children or youth, including a present danger assessment, per the County Child Abuse, Fatality, and Criminal Neglect Investigation Protocols. When this occurs:
    1. Verify the name of the LE officer requesting the and the length of time estimated for the delay. If LE:
      1. Provides a specific date when the IFF can occur, enter the extension for that date.
      2. Does not provide a specific date, enter an extension every seven calendar days until the IFF occurs.
    2. Document the:
      1. Verification of the continued need for the delay, with each new extension.
      2. The investigator’s efforts made to obtain a date from LE when a date is not provided.
  3. An intake screening decision changed from screen-out to screen-in and the timeframe expired.
  4. A reliable verification has been obtained by the caseworker that the child or youth is out-of-state for a specific period of time and the other state does not respond or declines to complete a courtesy IFF. When this occurs:
    1. Review the verification obtained that the child or youth is out-of-state. If the date of return is:
      1. Verified, enter an extension until the scheduled return date.
      2. Not verified, enter an extension every seven calendar days until the IFF contact occurs.
    2. Document the caseworker’s efforts made to verify the child or youth is still out-of- state when there is no verifiable return date with each new extension.
  5. Victims or identified children or youth are in the care and custody of a non-subject parent or guardian who is protective.
  6. Efforts to locate were made by LD CPS investigators within the 24-hour and 72-hour timeframes. When this occurs, assigned supervisors must:
    1. Review the LD CPS investigator’s efforts to locate the victims or identified children or youth.
    2. Approve the extension, if the required efforts to locate the victims or identified children or youth have been made every:
      1. Twenty-four hours on emergent intakes, until the IFF contact occurs.
      2. Seventy-two hours on non-emergent intakes, until the IFF occurs, excluding weekends and holidays.
    3. Not enter an extension, if additional efforts need to be made and discuss with the LD CPS investigator what additional efforts are needed.
  7. The victims or identified children or youth:
    1. Are temporarily in another state and that state has refused to complete a courtesy IFF.
    2. Have been moved out of state and an IFF is requested from the other state.
    3. Was allegedly abused in a licensed facility that does not provide care during weekends or holidays, and the extension is approved by an LD CPS supervisor.
    4. Is no longer placed in the facility.
  8. LD CPS supervisors must continue to monitor the efforts and add a new extension if the victim or identified child or youth has not been seen every 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, for assigned 24 or 72-hour time frames.
3. When an extension is not entered and continued efforts to locate the victims or identified children or youth are required, CW and LD supervisors must verify those efforts are made until the IFF occurs.
Exceptions to the IFF
If an IFF cannot to be completed, CW or LD CPS supervisors must only use and approve exceptions to IFFs if:
1. The victim or identified child or youth:
  1. Can’t be located and all reasonable efforts to locate them have been exhausted throughout the life of the case.
  2. Is deceased.
  3. Has moved out-of-state and a new intake has been completed by the receiving state.
2. The allegation involves a child care facility investigation and the biological parent or guardian will not allow their child or youth to be interviewed.
During IFF Contact with the Victims or Identified Children or Youth
When completing the IFF with the victims or identified children or youth:
1. Caseworkers, after-hours workers, or LD CPS investigators must:
  1. Assess for present danger.
  2. Take protective action if present danger is identified.
  3. Address all allegations of CA/N.
  4. Observe and document the physical condition and behaviors of the victim or identified child or youth.
  5. Follow the Photograph Documentation policy when photographing the victim or identified child or youth’s physical conditions or environment to document CA/N.
  6. Follow the Interviewing a Victim or Identified Child policy when conducting comprehensive interviews.
  7. Observe the victims or identified children or youth’s living environment, if possible.
2. Caseworkers and after-hours workers must gather relevant and sufficient information by completing the following:
  1. Safety Assessment, within 30 calendar days from the date of intake.
  2. Structured Decision Making Risk Assessment (SDMRA), the timeframes specified in the SDMRA policy.
3. LD CPS investigators must complete a safety assessment and safety plan for biological, adoptive, and guardianship children or youth when there is an identified safety threat.
After the IFF
1. Once the IFF has been completed, caseworkers, after-hours workers, and LD CPS investigators must:
  1. Contact intake as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours, if there is a new allegation of CA/N to report, per RCW 26.44.030.
  2. Immediately call 911 to report information to LE about crimes against children or youth, and when they believe the child or youth are in present danger, per the Mandated Reports to Law Enforcement policy.
2. Once the IFF has been completed, caseworkers and LD CPS investigators must:
  1. Follow the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) policy.
  2. Complete the Commercially Sexually Exploited Child (CSEC) Screen DCYF 15-476 form, if children or youth are suspected or confirmed to be victims of CSEC.
Documenting in FamLink
1. Caseworkers, after-hours workers, or LD CPS investigators must complete the following within three calendar days:
  1. Document the following information in an IFF case note in FamLink:
    1. All IFF contacts or attempted contacts, including the date and time.
    2. If anyone else was present during the contact.
    3. If present danger was identified and any protective action was taken.
  2. Upload all photographs and audio recordings into FamLink, per the Photograph Documentation and Audio Recording policies.
2. Supervisors must document the following in the explanation section of the Extension/Exception details box in FamLink for:
  1. Extensions within three calendar days of determining if the extension is approved and include the following:
    1. Rationale for the extension.
    2. Timeframes for the extension, as follows:
      1. Twenty-four hours on emergent intakes, until the IFF contact occurs.
      2. Seventy-two hours on non-emergent intakes, until the IFF occurs, excluding weekends and holidays.
      3. Seven calendar days for:
        LE delays and the timeframe of the delay is unavailable. If available, document the extension using the date provided.
        Children or youth who are temporarily out-of-state and the timeframe of when they will return to Washington State is unavailable. If available, document the extension date the child is scheduled to return to Washington State.
    3. Name of the LE officer and agency, if applicable.
  2. Exceptions within three calendar days of determining if the exception is approved and include the rational for the exception.