WA SB6308

Critical incidents involving maltreatment-related child fatalities or near fatalities in families with open child welfare cases increased 70% from 2021 to 2024, with 22 incidents in Q1 2025 compared to 9 in Q1 2024

Courts may now order parents, guardians, or legal custodians of children under age five to comply with safety conditions when releasing a child to their care during shelter care proceedings, even without parental consent

Ordered conditions must be culturally appropriate, reasonably available, and reasonably accessible to the parent, and the department must provide referrals within seven days of the parent signing a release of information

Department failure to provide timely referrals or access to services cannot be used as grounds for removal, continued shelter care, or a finding of dependency

Parental participation in prevention services, safety planning, or court-ordered conditions cannot be construed as an admission of abuse or neglect in subsequent fact-finding hearings