Washington made it harder for CPS to separate families. Critics say kids are less safe episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 20, 2026 · 22 MIN

Washington made it harder for CPS to separate families. Critics say kids are less safe

from Soundside · host KUOW News and Information

In recent years, Washington state has made two major policy changes to keep more birth families together. Since then, fewer kids in Washington have been taken from their birth families, especially infants. But over the same time period, more babies and children from families who’ve been investigated by child welfare workers have died. That’s why critics say those changes have made children less safe and should be reversed. Read the full story: Washington made it harder for CPS to separate families. Critics say kids are less safe Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 20, 2026

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Over the last several years, Washington state made policy changes to keep more birth families together. But, now, critics say those changes have gone too far and made children less safe and they should be reversed.

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Washington made it harder for CPS to separate families. Critics say kids are less safe

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