It is the policy of this state to enable the secretary to charge fees for certain services to adoptive parents who are able to pay for such services.

It is, however, also the policy of this state that the secretary of the department shall be liberal in waiving, reducing, or deferring payment of any such fee to the end that adoptions shall be encouraged in cases where prospective adoptive parents lack means.

It is the policy of this state to encourage, within the limits of available funds, the adoption of certain hard to place children in order to make it possible for children living in, or likely to be placed in, foster homes or institutions to benefit from the stability and security of permanent homes in which such children can receive continuous parental care, guidance, protection, and love and to reduce the number of such children who must be placed or remain in foster homes or institutions until they become adults.

It is also the policy of this state to try, by means of the program of adoption support authorized in RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13A.005 through 74.13A.080, to reduce the total cost to the state of foster home and institutional care.

Effective date—2018 c 58: See note following RCW 28A.655.080.