"The job is rewarding because I can help guide families in the right direction by showing them support and encouraging them along the way," says Kathy Eirls with Better Futures Together Family Services. "I feel like we have the ability to make a difference in the child's life, as well as the parent, by being a support that they look forward to."
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is preparing to celebrate Parent Recognition Month in February 2022 by honoring extraordinary parents, caregivers, guardians, and community members across Washington State through the annual Unsung Heroes campaign.
Story provided by DCYF partner Kindering.
The Canine Connections program was established at Echo Glen Children’s Center more than 20 years ago. The program pairs rescue dogs with the young people in residence who train them in basic obedience over an eight-week session. At the end of the session, the dog goes home with its new adoptive family.
Dear Tribal Partners, Child Care, and Early Learning Providers,
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is reaching out to you for help in developing a child care subsidy rate for families that use child care during non-standard hours.
Can you please assist us by completing a 15-question survey about child care during non-standard hours? The survey is available in Somali, Spanish, and English.
In an effort to improve child safety and realign child welfare toward a more preventative child and family well-being system, DCYF has joined child welfare leaders representing 26 state, county and tribal child and family serving agencies to form the National Partnership for Child Safety (NPCS).
In November 2021, Naselle Youth Camp hosted its annual potlatch where community members, family, and DCYF staff gathered to share a meal and immerse themselves in the spirit of local potlatch tradition.
“The event is a chance to have our voices heard,” said Sage, a youth of the Cheyenne River Sioux and Lummi Tribes. “It brings us closer together.”
Echo Glen Children’s Center recently celebrated three significant high school graduations for youth in residence – the first it has seen since integrating with DCYF in 2019.
DCYF proposed a bill to the Legislature that would repeal RCW 13.40.220, Washington’s “Parent Pay” statute, which charges families for their child’s incarceration. The law currently requires parents to pay a percentage of their income to DCYF for the cost of their child’s support, treatment, and confinement in Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR).
