Heres how Washington state defines child abuse.
Is it legal to slap your child in washington state. It may come as a surprise but more than 20 states allow roadkill salvage. Even where there is no parenting plan custodial interference laws make it a crime to take or hide a child from the other parent to deny that parent access to the child. In Washington State parenting rights are not only for those who have been married.
If the punishment you dole out leads to your child enduring bodily injury you could face criminal charges. This leaves parents who practice other forms of disciplinary beatings in a slightly more precarious legal. Spanking and other forms of corporal punishment however can cross the line from reasonable punishment to child abuse and this line is defined as bodily injury.
If you are charged with a crime as a result of spanking your child you should talk to a local criminal defense attorney. This defence is laid down in section 58 Children Act. RCW stands for Revised Code of Washington the states laws.
Unmarried parents who separate before or after the birth of a child have virtually the same legal opportunities and responsibilities around child custody visitation and child support that. Many parents would agree that severely beating your child is not only immoral but also illegal but it can be difficult to separate illegal beatings from state-sanctioned spankings. Corporal punishment by a parent is not illegal in Wa.
Notice - advance notice of all court hearings. This law was created to help clean the streets and decrease the amount of resources spent by state officials. However the line between parenting and child abuse is not always that clear.
However the physical discipline of a child is not unlawful when it is reasonable and moderate and is inflicted by a parent teacher or guardian for purposes of restraining or correcting the child. If spanking is okay whats not. It is unlawful for a parent or carer to smack their child except where this amounts to reasonable punishment.