Finds it is necessary to realign Washington's child welfare system over time. The legislature finds that although it is the stated mission of the children's administration in the department of social and health services to protect children, help families care for and parent their children, and find safe homes for children, the mission may be compromised by the goals, objectives, size, and complexity of the larger agency of which it is a part.

Declares an intent for there to be accountability for the safety and protection of children in the system. The legislature believes that the children's administration is unable to implement its own policies because it is distracted from its goals by its location in the department of social and health services, a large umbrella agency. The legislature believes that an independent agency will be more efficient and more effective than under the current umbrella agency and that a small operational and administrative structure will improve employee morale.