4430. Courtesy Supervision

Applies To:  This policy applies to child welfare (CW) employees. 

Policy Number & Title:  4430. Courtesy Supervision

Effective Date:  July 1, 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to CW employees on courtesy supervision cases for children and youth in the placement and care authority of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).

Authority

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

Policy 

  1. Primary caseworkers: 
    1. May request courtesy supervision from a caseworker in another office through their supervisor and regional gatekeeper when children or youth are placed or moved outside of their office coverage area. 
    2. Must:
      1. Maintain primary assignment for cases with courtesy supervision. 
      2. Notify the courtesy supervision worker if there is reason to know children are or may be Indian children. 
  2. Regional gatekeepers must: 
    1. Request courtesy supervision from regional gatekeepers in another region when they receive courtesy supervision requests from supervisors in their region. 
    2. Assign courtesy supervision cases to supervisors in their region when they receive completed courtesy supervision requests from regional gatekeepers in another region. 
  3. Primary and courtesy supervision caseworkers must:
    1. Work together at the lowest level possible to resolve concerns related to the safety, well-being, or permanency of children or youth on courtesy supervision. 
    2. Follow the Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Active Efforts and Tribal Collaboration policy if there is reason to believe children are or may be Indian children.

Regional administrators (RAs) of the sending offices will make the final determination, in consultation with the RAs of the receiving offices, when there are differing opinions or unresolved issues related to courtesy supervision cases. 

Resources 

Courtesy Supervision procedure (Located in the DCYF Policies & Rules Office SharePoint)

ICW Active Efforts and Tribal Collaboration policy

ICW Reason to Know policy

Original Date:  February 15, 1998

Revised Date:  July 1, 2024

Review Date:  July 31, 2028

Approved by:  Natalie Green, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare