Reporting Child Abuse - Washington

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Washington

Under Washington law, certain professionals (including practitioners, coroners, law enforcement officers, professional school personnel, psychologists, child care providers, probation officers, department of corrections personnel, guardian at litems, administrators and academic or athletic department employees of public or private institutions of higher education (including student employees), among others who has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected are required to report the incident to the proper law enforcement agency or to the Department of Social and Health Services. In addition, any person in his official supervisory capacity with a non-profit or for-profit organization that has reasonable cause to believe a child is being abused by a person over whom they regularly exercise supervisory authority must report the incident to the proper law enforcement agency if that person suspected of inflicting the abuse is an employee, volunteer, or contracted individual with the organization and coaches, educates, or counsels children regularly or regularly has unsupervised access to children. Any other person not specifically listed may make a report of known or suspected child abuse to law enforcement of the department.

To access the entire child abuse reporting chapter of the official Washington Code online, follow:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.44

To access the specific sections summarized above in the official Washington Code online, follow:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.44.020

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.44.030

For more information visit the Washington Department of Social Services website at the links below:

http://www.dshs.wa.gov/endharm.shtml

http://www.dshs.wa.gov/ca/safety/abuseReport.asp?2

http://www.dshs.wa.gov/ca/safety/abuseWhat.asp?2

To Report Child Abuse Call:

1-866-ENDHARM or (1-866-363-4276)