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.

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&rsquo;ve been investigated by child welfare workers have died.
That&rsquo;s why critics say those changes have made children less safe and should be reversed.
Read the full story:<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-made-it-harder-for-cps-to-separate-families-critics-say-kids-are-less-safe"> Washington made it harder for CPS to separate families. Critics say kids are less safe</a><a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/eilis-oneill"></a>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

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.