Making Caregiving Arrangements for Children
This page contains frequently asked questions about how to use the new power of attorney for parents who are temporarily unavailable pursuant to RCW 11.130.145 and that became effective June 11, 2020. It contains a questionnaire and downloadable form. From Northwest Justice Project, external link.
This page contains resources related to families whose members have differing immigration and citizenship status or whose members do not have U.S. citizenship. The updated 2025 version is also now available here. From Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, external links.
This page is external and is maintained by USCIS. USCIS implemented the Parental or Caregiving Interests Directive in 2022 and it has been updated in 2025. From USCIS official website, external link.
This page is linked to the website for the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). It was created to help people with lived experience of past Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations and who received founded child abuse or neglect findings. Since these founded findings in Washington State are permanent findings and will not be removed, there is a new process, codified at RCW 74.13.720 and RCW 74.13.730, to have DCYF issue a certificate of parental improvement that must be accepted by Washington State Department of Social & Health Services, and other state agencies, in the background check process.
Family Law Assistance in WA for Incarcerated Parents
Please see some resources on what’s available for incarcerated parents who cannot afford to retain an attorney to represent them in family court here.