When Child Protection Comes
RCW 26.44.030 — law enforcement told within 24 or 72 hours, and a family assessment within 45 days
Law enforcement. The department notifies law enforcement within 24 hours after receiving a report in an emergency where the child's welfare is endangered, and within 72 hours in all other cases.
A family assessment. Where the report is handled by family assessment, it is completed within 45 days of the report, or up to 120 days with the parents' agreement. The parent agrees to services before they begin, and the department informs the parents of their rights, their options, and the department's options if they do not agree.
Removal of a child, emergency custody, and the court hearings that follow are set out in other parts of the law that are not on this page. What a particular investigation means for a family is a question for a licensed Washington attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- RCW 26.44.030 — Reports; duty and authority to make
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.