Who Has To Report It
RCW 26.44.030 — the listed reporters, at the first opportunity and within 48 hours
In Washington, members of the clergy, practitioners, coroners, law enforcement officers, school personnel, nurses, counselors, psychologists, pharmacists, child care providers and the others the section lists, who have reasonable cause to believe a child has suffered abuse or neglect, report it to law enforcement or the department.
| The step | When, as the section puts it |
|---|---|
| The stepThe report | When, as the section puts itAt the first opportunity, and in no case longer than 48 hours after there is reasonable cause to believe |
| The stepThe department tells law enforcement, in an emergency | When, as the section puts itWithin 24 hours after receiving the report |
| The stepThe department tells law enforcement, otherwise | When, as the section puts itWithin 72 hours |
- A supervisor at a nonprofit or for profit organization reports abuse by someone they regularly supervise.
- The duty also reaches administrative, academic and athletic employees of colleges and universities.
What counts as abuse or neglect, the immunity a good faith report carries, and the confidentiality of the reporter are set in other sections and are not reproduced here. In an emergency, the police come first. Whether a duty applied in a particular case is a question for a court and 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.