Ever since she was a teenager, Lydia Gleason knew that she wanted to adopt. In January 2025, she and her husband Nick welcomed siblings (two brothers) into their growing family.
Like most adoptive parents in Washington, the Gleason’s adoption journey began as foster parents nearly four years ago.
After nearly 2.5 years in foster care, Logan said yes to his forever family during a National Adoption Day celebration at Yakima County Superior Court.
Dozens of children and youth will be adopted in ceremonies across Washington Nov. 21-23 as the state joins the nation to celebrate Adoption Day.
Every year, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) joins the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) in celebrating Adoption Day to raise awareness around the continued need for adoptive families.
DCYF is currently accepting nominations for outstanding parents, grandparents, kinship caregivers, foster parents, and community members, providing direct care to children, as part of its annual Unsung Hero Awards.
For the past 13 years, DCYF has recognized caregivers who exemplify one or more of the five protective factors known to help reduce child abuse and neglect:
DCYF is looking for a child or youth to throw a ceremonial first pitch during this year's We Are Family Day on Sunday, May 12 at T-Mobile Park.
To be eligible, the child or youth must:
Washington State’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is guided by five agency values, one of which is inclusion. DCYF caregivers are encouraged to live this value by keeping children in their care connected to their family’s beliefs and culture.
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families has launched two newsletters, each focused on providing resources and information for families across the state.