Olympia, WA – The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) was one of the agencies identified as “going over and above the legal requirements” to raise awareness of human trafficking, according to a recently published State Auditor’s Office (SAO) Audit.
The SAO Performance Audit, which assesses Washington’s human trafficking awareness efforts, found DCYF completed required screening for children, updated their mandatory reporting poster to include human trafficking, and offered training on human trafficking beyond what is required.
“The statewide awareness efforts across multiple agencies directly support DCYF’s work with missing and exploited youth aimed at preventing them and others from further harm,” said DCYF Secretary Tana Senn. “We appreciate the State Auditor for putting a spotlight on this critical work.”
State law directs DCYF to publish a poster on its website that includes specific information about reporting suspected cases of child abuse and neglect, including who is required to report, definitions of reportable crimes, and how to submit a report.
DCYF met this requirement, updating its mandatory reporter poster to reflect recent changes made to the law, which expanded the definition of abuse and neglect to include trafficking. Mandatory reporters, such as teachers and medical professionals, are required by law to report child abuse and neglect.
This week, DCYF published a Mandatory Reporter Digital Kit, which includes the poster, publications, and tools to help mandatory reporters.
“Our mandatory reporter posters are found at countless medical offices, schools, and law enforcement agencies across the state,” said Secretary Senn. “They play an important role in educating and encouraging the public to report child abuse and neglect, and now trafficking.”
Under a new state law, which took effect on July 1, 2025, DCYF is required to screen children they suspect may be victims of commercial sexual abuse of a minor, a form of human trafficking.
The SAO noted DCYF is following the law in its screening of children. Auditors reviewed internal reports that showed the agency conducted more than 200 screenings between July and October 2025 across the state.
Additionally, while human trafficking awareness training is not explicitly required by Washington state law, DCYF requires trainings that include information on human trafficking for our staff, as well as offers it to foster parents and caregivers.
The full report and summary materials are available at the State Auditor’s Office website.
Multi-Agency Joint Efforts during FIFA World Cup
This summer, DCYF joined King County, Seattle Police Department, Tribes, and federal partners in a coordinated effort to identify, recover, and support survivors of human trafficking and commercially sexually exploited youth during the FIFA World Cup. Large-scale international sporting events are historically associated with increased tourism, which amplifies the risk of human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
As part of this work, DCYF initiated a trauma-informed operational response plan to support child safety, intake management, investigations, and placement capacity during the FIFA World Cup event period. These connections and partnerships will be sustainable beyond this event and will serve as a template for future planning around major sporting or large-scale public safety events.
###
