Foster care/rights of child

AN ACT Relating to codifying the rights of children and youth in 1
foster care; adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW; and creating 2
a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that young people in 5
foster care will benefit from having a statutory declaration and 6
notification of certain rights. The statutory rights in this section 7
are not intended to limit or supersede other rights afforded to 8
children and youth in foster care. The legislature intends to improve 9
the health, well-being, and safety of children and youth in foster 10
care by declaring these rights.11
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 74.13 12
RCW to read as follows: 13
(1) The department shall make efforts to ensure provision of the 14
following rights: 15
(a) The right to dignity and respect regardless of actual or 16
perceived race, ethnicity, culture, sex, sexual orientation, gender 17
identity, and gender expression, and freedom from discrimination in 18
accordance with applicable state and federal laws;19
S-0942.1
SENATE BILL 5620
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Cleveland, Frame, Hasegawa, Liias, Nobles, and C. Wilson
Read first time 01/31/25. Referred to Committee on Human Services.
p. 1 SB 5620
(b) Placement with a foster care provider, where necessary, who 1
is aware of and understands the child's or youth's unique history as 2
it relates to the child's or youth's care and who possesses the 3
appropriate knowledge and skills to provide for the child's or 4
youth's needs; 5
(c) Reasonable connections to the child's or youth's community 6
and supports, including communication and contact with people outside 7
the foster care system who are important to the child or youth, 8
unless otherwise limited by law or court order; 9
(d) Receipt of a free and appropriate education, access to 10
transportation to educational institutions, and an opportunity to 11
participate in sports and extracurricular, cultural, personal 12
enrichment, and social activities consistent with the child's or 13
youth's age and developmental level, including access to computer 14
technology and the internet as necessary for the child's or youth's 15
education; 16
(e) Personal belongings including wearing the child's or youth's 17
own clothing, having a safe place to store personal belongings, and 18
having personal belongings transported in appropriate luggage with 19
the child or youth during or shortly after a change of placement; and20
(f) When 18 or older and leaving foster care, being provided with 21
the youth's birth certificate, social security card, immigration 22
documents, health insurance information, medical records, education 23
records, either a driver's license or a state-issued identicard, 24
written information including the youth's family history and contact 25
information for siblings, if appropriate, and proof of foster care.26
(2) By September 1, 2025, the department shall produce and make 27
available to department staff a pamphlet containing the rights 28
afforded to youth in foster care and the responsibilities of the 29
department. At a minimum, the pamphlet must: 30
(a) Be concise, but provide references to resources and services 31
available to children and youth in care; 32
(b) At a minimum, describe the rights as articulated under this 33
chapter as well as any other relevant information; and34
(c) Provide information on how to contact caseworkers in an 35
emergency. 36
p. 2 SB 5620
(3) The pamphlet required under this section must be made 1
available by the department to all foster youth as they enter care 2
and shall also be published on the department's website.3
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p. 3 SB 5620