1170. Domestic Violence

Original Date:  March 31, 2017

Revised Date:  July 1, 2024          

Sunset Review Date:  July 31, 2028

Approved by:  Natalie Green, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Division and Ruben Reeves, Assistant Secretary of Licensing Division

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • Recognize and understand the dynamics of domestic violence (DV) in families through the universal screening process.
  • Determine the impact of DV on child safety through the specialized DV assessment.

Scope

This policy applies to Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) employees. 

Laws

RCW 10.99.020  Definitions

RCW 10.99.030  Law enforcement officers-Training, powers, duties-Domestic violence reports

RCW 26.44.020  Definitions

RCW 42.56.240  Investigative, law enforcement, and crime victims

RCW 70.123.078  Disclosure of information

Policy

  1. Intake workers must follow the Intake Process and Response policy and offer DV resources to the referrer on all intakes, screened in or out, when both: 
    1. DV is identified.
    2. The referrer is not familiar with DV resources.
  2. Caseworkers must:
    1. Complete the universal DV screening at key points in a case to determine if DV is present, including prior to placing in a relative or suitable person’s home. DV screenings include interviews and review of records and available databases.
    2. Conduct a Specialized DV Assessment if DV is determined to be present in a case through universal screening.
    3. Use information gathered during the DV screening, the Specialized DV Assessment, and the gathering questions to complete the safety assessment and follow the safety assessment policy. Offer DV resource information to adult victims in open cases when DV is identified.
  3. Licensing Division (LD) Child Protective Services (CPS) investigators and LD workers must follow the Placement Moves policy, if DV poses a threat to children or youth in licensed placements. 

Procedures

  1. Universal DV Screening
    1. Intake workers must complete the universal DV screening, per the Intake Process and Response policy.
    2. CPS, Family Voluntary Services (FVS), and Child Welfare and Family Services (CFWS) caseworkers must conduct universal DV screenings:
      1. Using individual and separate interviews with all parents, caregivers, adults, children, and youth in the home even if DV was not identified at intake to determine:
        1. If DV is present?
        2. If so, who is the:
          1. Adult victim?
          2. DV perpetrator?
      2. At each of the following times in a case:
        1. At first contact with a family. If not possible, at the next available opportunity. If parents or guardians refuse to meet separately:
          1. Consult with the supervisor.
          2. Document the parents’ or guardians’ refusal to meet in a case note.
        2. A new screened in intake
        3. Prior to placing a child or youth with a relative or suitable person. 
        4. Case Transfer
        5. Re-assessment of safety, per the Safety Assessment policy.
    3. LD:
      1. CPS investigators must conduct universal DV screening when investigating child abuse or neglect (CA/N) allegations involving a biological family or guardian.
      2. Workers must conduct universal DV screening when completing a home study.
  2. Specialized DV Assessment Interview Protocol
    Caseworkers, LD CPS investigators and LD workers must:
    1. Conduct a specialized DV assessment when DV is identified, to determine if DV poses a threat to a child’s or youth’s safety or compromises the family’s ability to address other CA/N. This assessment completed using interviews, review of records, and available databases to obtain all of the following information:
      1. DV perpetrator’s pattern of assaultive and coercive tactics.
      2. Impact of DV on the:
        1. Adult victim
        2. Child or youth
      3. Adult victim, perpetrator, and community protective factors.
      4. The lethality of the DV.
    2. Follow Safety Plan policy if DV is determined to pose a threat to the safety of the child or youth. 
    3. Complete a Safe Child Consultation if there is an inability to safety plan. 
  3. Documentation
    1. Intake workers must document the outcome of the universal screening questions in the Additional Risk Factors narrative box of the intake. If the allegation of CA/N involves DV, intake workers must document the information in the Allegation/Concern narrative box, per the Intake Training Manual document.
    2. Caseworkers must document the outcome of the:
      1.  Universal DV screen in the following, as applicable:
        1. Structured Decision Making Risk Assessment (SDMRA) tool.
        2. Investigative Assessment.
        3. Family Assessment Response Family Assessment (FARFA).
        4. Comprehensive Family Evaluation (CFE).
        5. Court Report.
        6. Case note for relatives and suitable person placements. 
        7. Specialized DV assessment, if conducted, in a case note.
    3. LD CPS investigators must document the outcome of the universal DV screening and specialized DV assessment interview protocol of the DV in a case note and in the LD Risk Assessment Matrix, as applicable.
    4. LD workers must document the outcome of the DV screening and specialized DV assessment interview protocol in a provider note or the home study, as applicable.
    5. Caseworkers and LD CPS investigators must document safety planning information for the victim or children in a case note, labeled confidential DV safety plan and include the confidential information:
      1. The identity of a victim or witness to the crime.
      2. The identity of the DV victim if the victim has filed a complaint with an investigative or law enforcement agency and there is an open criminal investigation.
      3. The location of a DV program, including shelters and transitional living facilities.
      4. The victim’s address information, if he or she signed up for the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP).  If the victim is participating in the ACP, use the P.O. Box address that is assigned to them through the Secretary of State.

Resources

Statewide DV resources

Databases to identify previous DV:

Case transfers policy 

Family Time and Sibling and Relative Visits policy 

Intake Training Manual document (located on the DCYF intranet under Programs and Intake & CPS)

Safety Assessment policy          

Social Worker's Practice Guide to Domestic Violence DCYF 22-1314 publication