1. In addition to the rights that have been provided for all crime victims and witnesses, Washington law requires reasonable efforts be made to ensure the following rights for child victims and witnesses under the age of eighteen:
2. To have all proceedings explained in language which can be easily understood by the child;
3. To have, whenever practical, a secure waiting area provided for the child during court proceedings, and to have a support person stay with the child;
4. To not have the name, address or photograph of the child victim or witness disclosed to any agency outside the criminal justice system without the permission of the child's parent or guardian;
5. To have an advocate make recommendations to the prosecuting attorney about the child's ability to cooperate with the prosecution and the potential effects of prosecution upon the child;
6. To allow an advocate to inform the court about the child's ability to understand the nature of the proceedings;
7. To be provided information and referrals to agencies to assist the child and/or the child's family in dealing with the emotional impact of the crime and the legal proceedings;
8. To have an advocate be present in court to provide emotional support to the child during testimony;
9. To inform the court as to the need to have other supportive persons present during the child's testimony;
10. To allow law enforcement agencies to enlist the services of other professional personnel such as child protective services, victim advocates, or prosecutorial staff trained to interview child victims.

Updated: April 12, 2001