How to Report

Washington (WA)

Who is required to report?

Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030

The following persons are required to report:

Practitioners, including persons licensed to practice podiatric medicine and surgery, optometry, chiropractic, nursing, dentistry, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or medicine and surgery
Duly accredited Christian Science practitioners
County coroners, or medical examiners
Law enforcement officers
Professional school personnel, including, but not limited to, teachers, counselors, administrators, child care facility personnel, and school nurses
Registered or licensed nurses, social service counselors, psychologists, or pharmacists
Employees of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Licensed or certified child care providers or their employees
Employees of the Department of Social and Health Services
Juvenile probation officers
Placement and liaison specialists, responsible living skills program staff, or HOPE center staff
State family and children's ombuds or any volunteer in the ombuds's office
Host home programs
Persons who supervise employees or volunteers who train, educate, coach, or counsel children or have regular unsupervised access to children
Department of Corrections personnel
Any adult with whom a child resides
Guardians ad litem and court-appointed special advocates
The reporting requirement also applies to administrative and academic or athletic department employees, including student employees, of public and private institutions of higher education

When is a report required?

Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030

When any mandated reporter has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect, he or she shall make a report to the law enforcement agency or to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

When any person, in his or her official supervisory capacity with a nonprofit or for-profit organization, has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect caused by a person over whom he or she regularly exercises supervisory authority, he or she shall report such incident, or cause a report to be made, to the proper law enforcement agency, if the person alleged to have caused the abuse or neglect is employed by, contracted by, or volunteers with the organization and coaches, trains, educates, or counsels a child or children or regularly has unsupervised access to a child or children as part of the employment, contract, or voluntary service. No one shall be required to report when he or she obtains the information solely as a result of a privileged communication.

The report must be made at the first opportunity, but in no case longer than 48 hours after there is reasonable cause to believe that the child has suffered abuse or neglect.

What information should the report include?

Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.030; 26.44.040

The name, address, and age of the child
The name and address of the child’s parents, stepparents, guardians, or other persons having custody of the child
The nature and extent of the alleged injury or injuries
The nature and extent of the alleged neglect
The nature and extent of the alleged sexual abuse
Any evidence of previous injuries, including their nature and extent
Any other information that may be helpful in:
- Establishing the cause of the child’s death, injury, or injuries
- Identifying the alleged perpetrator or perpetrators

Failure to report

Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.080; 9A.20.021

Every person who is required to make a report pursuant to the reporting laws and who knowingly fails to make such a report shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Every person convicted of a gross misdemeanor shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for up to 364 days or a fine of no more than $5,000, or both.