Child Welfare

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Over the course of several decades, Dr. Joel Odimba has had every job you can imagine in the child welfare space. This June he will retire after more than 30 years of public service to the state of Washington. Odimba has not only changed the lives of the families he partnered with but left his mark on the child welfare system as a whole.

Thanks to nominations from across the state, DCYF and Seattle’s Child recognized 28 parents, caregivers, and community members for Parent Recognition month this past February. All of the honorees were celebrated again as 140 Washingtonians gathered for the Unsung Hero Event on Feb. 26, 2026.

I recently shadowed a caseworker in Bremerton, and it gave me an even deeper appreciation for social workers.

I invite you to watch this short video to get a glimpse of what I observed: Secretary Senn Shadows a Social Worker

Baseball season is approaching, which means the Washington State Department, of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is looking for a child or youth in foster care who is "knocking it out of the park."

Beginning Feb. 1, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) will honor parents, caregivers, and advocates who have shown their commitment to help reduce child abuse and neglect. 

Each April, people across the country join together during National Child Abuse Prevention Month to help raise awareness and promote ways we can all help to strengthen families in our communities. One of the ways we do this is through Pinwheels for Prevention.

After spending her teenage years in the foster care system, a Spokane teen pursued her degree and is using her lived experience to give back to her hometown and advocate for youth like her. With assistance from the Education Training and Voucher Program (ETV), Aubrey Shuman recently graduated from Eastern Washington University with her social work degree.  

On Dec. 17, 2025, DCYF child welfare staff and leadership from across Washington state gathered to discuss the impact High Potency Synthetic Opioids (HPSO) are having on families and the child welfare system.

As we near the end of the year, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate some exciting accomplishments across DCYF that are positively impacting the children, youth, and families we serve.

In 2025, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families: