Guide to Child Protective Services (CPS) and dependency cases

CPS is part of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), a state government agency employing caseworkers. CPS investigates reports of child abuse or neglect. The legal definition of child abuse in Washington State is physical abuse, sexual abuse or exploitation, failing to take care of a child, or bad treatment that puts a child in danger. (These last two are also called neglect.)

If you or your children are domestic violence survivors and CPS investigates you because of domestic violence, try to talk to a lawyer right away.  When someone reports child abuse or neglect, CPS has 3 options: 

• Do nothing, if the report doesn't meet the legal definition for abuse or neglect
• Investigate to find out if there is abuse or neglect, and who's responsible for it
• Offer an alternative to an investigation called a Family Assessment Response (FAR) 

If CPS decides to investigate, they must try to find the children's parents to notify them. If there’s immediate danger to the children, CPS must start investigating within 24 hours of getting a report. CPS has up to 90 days to finish its investigation.

During its investigation, the CPS caseworker can interview your children and anyone else with useful information. The interview can be at any suitable place, like school, home, or daycare. CPS doesn’t need to ask for your permission or notify you. CPS can talk to the children alone or with a third person. The caseworker can take pictures of the children.

Any time you’re being investigated for a crime, such endangerment or abuse of a child, you should try to get criminal legal advice.