New reporting from InvestigateWest finds it’s difficult for parents in Washington to challenge flawed reports concerning guardians ad litem, the court-appointed guardians assigned to children in custody cases, who decide where their children will stay temporarily. If parents do challenge these professionals, they risk hurting their case to regain custody of their children.

In Washington, with little oversight and inadequate state-mandated training for guardians, parents are seldom able to hold guardians ad litem accountable for inaccurate or biased investigations. In some situations, children have been placed by these guardians in homes with abusive adults, and some parents have even lost custody of their children to abusers.

Kelsey Turner, a reporter with InvestigateWest, joins us to discuss her findings, including a few Washington cases that have shaped the call to reform standards for this role.

“Think Out Loud®” broadcasts live at noon every day and rebroadcasts at 8 p.m.

If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook, send an email to [email protected], or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/27/think-out-loud-washington-child-welfare-guardians-oversight/