Truancy / At-Risk Youth / Child in Need of Services (Becca)

In 1993, a 13-year-old runaway named Rebecca Hedman ("Becca") was murdered in Spokane, Washington, far from her home in Tacoma.  A group of parents and legislators came together and successfully pushed for legislation (passed in 1995) that was designed to prevent situations like Becca's from happening again.  The so-called "Becca Bill" addresses several areas of public policy, including those affecting truant, at-risk, and runaway youth.

King County Superior Court operates and manages several programs as part of its obligation to provide court services under the Becca Bill.  These programs are designed to support families and school districts and help them to meet their statutory and court-ordered obligations in the petition processes for:

Truancy

By law, children between the ages of 8 and 18 must attend school.  If a juvenile "skips" school seven times in a month or ten times during the school year, by law, the school district must file a truancy petition on the child and/or the parents.

Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 28A.225 is the law that covers truancy actions.  For more information on truancy petitions and the truancy petition filing process, visit the Truancy program webpage.

At-Risk Youth (ARY)

An ARY petition is a request from a child's parent or legal guardian to the juvenile court to help in maintaining the care, custody, and control of the child.  ARY petitions can be filed for youth who are under the age of 18 and:

  • Absent from home for at least 72 consecutive hours without parental consent; or

  • Beyond parental control to the extent that his/her behavior threatens the health, safety or welfare of the child or any other person; or

  • Have a drug or alcohol abuse problem for which there are no pending criminal charges relating to the substance abuse.

Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 13.32A is the law that covers status offender actions, including ARY.  For more information on ARY petitions and the ARY petition filing process, visit the At-Risk Youth program webpage.

Child in Need of Services (CHINS)

The purpose of CHINS petitions is to obtain a court order mandating placement of the child in a residence other than the home of his/her parent because: a serious conflict exists between the parent and child.  The placement is temporary, and the goal is reunification.

This action is taken when the conflict in the home cannot be resolved and reasonable efforts have been made to prevent removal of the child from the parental home.

CHINS petitions may be filed by a child under 18, parent/legal guardian, or DSHS.

Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 13.32A is the law that covers status offender actions, including CHINS.  For more information on CHINS petitions and the CHINS petition filing process, visit the Child in Need of Services program webpage.