The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) works closely with the Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds (OFCO) and I have great respect for their work. The Ombuds’ responsibilities are largely focused on responding to complaints about DCYF service provision. OFCO brings attention to areas where DCYF has not met reasonable expectations and helps the agency and the complainant resolve their concerns. In many cases, OFCO has helped us find patterns in our work that we use to systemically improve. This year’s report summarizes that aspect of their work, and I have no concerns about it other than the fact that it details places where we are not meeting our own standards. Transparency about the complex and difficult nature of our work is critical to making it better.
For several years in a row, OFCO has rightfully excoriated DCYF about a growing problem that children and youth in our care face – hotel and office stays. I share Patrick's concern and can assure you that it has our full attention. In addition to our attention, we need additional resources both for DCYF and for our sister social service agencies to successfully resolve the problem.
Read the full letter.
As part of our work to integrate and streamline practices as a newly formed agency, DCYF developed a draft strategic plan that provides the framework for our priorities. Due to COVID-19, outreach efforts for stakeholder, community, and staff feedback were halted, but resumed in August. Additional feedback sessions will begin this month through February via webinars.
- Monday, Dec. 14 | Safely Reduce Children in Out-of-Home Care | 3:30 – 5 p.m. | Register Here
The initial draft plan focused on five strategic priorities. With the integration of the Racial Equity Plan, DCYF is now focusing on six agency priorities. Over the next five years, DCYF will focus on these six strategic priorities:
- Eliminate racial disproportionalities and advance racial equity.
- Safely reduce the number/rate of children in out-of-home care by half.
- Create successful transitions to adulthood for youth and young adults in our care.
- Create a high-quality integrated B-8 system.
- Improve quality and intention of our practice.
- Improve quality and availability of provider services.
These strategic priorities are grounded in the agency's mission, vision, values, and legislative purpose.
Updates are coming to the draft strategic plan.
We want your comments on the future of Washington's early learning system. For the past year, parents, child care providers, early learning advocates, pediatricians, staff from state agencies, and many others have worked together to develop goals and strategies to inform the future of Washington State’s early learning system for children prenatal through 3rd grade and the adults who care for them.
These high-level goals and strategies are designed to help all children and families thrive and to eliminate long-standing inequities in early learning outcomes for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and other marginalized communities.
More than 150 people from across the state were engaged using a targeted universalism framework to ensure the strategies explicitly name our commitment to eliminate racism, bias, and discrimination in communities. Additionally, strategic early learning priorities were developed by a workgroup at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and by a separate tribal group facilitated by the Indian Policy Early Learning (IPEL) committee. Their work is incorporated throughout the plan.
We hope that you will take a few minutes to review the goals and strategies that will be the heart of this plan and provide your comments. Your input will be used to inform the final plan.
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DCYF is seeking nominations for Unsung Heroes. The agency will celebrate Parent Recognition Month in February 2021 by honoring extraordinary parents, caregivers, guardians, and community members across Washington State through the annual Unsung Heroes campaign.
Since 2011, with your help, we have honored 253 parents and caregivers in Washington for the roles they have taken with their families, schools and communities. They have been recognized because they have shown strength, courage, and empathy in their communities. We also acknowledge that this year, parents and primary caregivers have been called upon more than ever to be the buffer for the traumatic experiences that our world has been facing. Parents and caregivers around Washington State are supporting their children, families, and communities in exceptional ways through this pandemic and we want to show our appreciation.
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