Olympia— Today, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) Secretary Ross Hunter released an agency plan to improve foster parent engagement. After internal discussions with staff and foster parent groups, Secretary Hunter explains why foster parents serve such a critical role in the work of DCYF.

"Each year, thousands of foster and kinship families open their hearts and homes to our state’s most vulnerable children. There are nearly 9,200 children in Washington who are in out-of-home placements,” said Secretary Hunter. “This number has been climbing slowly every year as we work through the opioid epidemic and the aftermath of the great recession."

At the end of June 2018, DCYF had 5,109 licensed foster homes. This number represents a 3.1 percent increase from the prior year. Forty-five percent of the 9,200 children in out-of-home placements are living with relatives instead of traditional foster care parents. However, the agency still needs thousands of foster homes to care for the state’s most vulnerable children. The most critical need is for families who can safely provide support for children and youth with intense behavioral needs as well as foster homes for sibling groups and teens.

One of DCYF’s primary responsibilities is providing a seamless and supportive experience for foster parents and kinship families. The agency must ensure that these caregivers feel they are listened to and valued. Our ability to recruit and retain foster parents and kinship families is intricately connected. The strongest recruitment tool we have is foster parents who feel supported by our staff. When they receive proper training and consistent communication, they are more likely to play a positive role in the recruitment of other foster and kinship parents.

As a new agency, we are committed to the mandate we were given to make positive changes in the programs and services provided for children placed under the state’s supervision. We are excited about making improvements in three distinct areas: licensing, resources and communication. DCYF is making progress, but we still have work to do in all three arenas.

To read the full article visit the DCYF What’s New section.

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