The Licensing Division (LD) will be restructuring its Kinship and Foster Care programs starting in May 2025. Transitions will occur over several months. This reorganization will allow licensors to better support you throughout your caregiving journey.

Licensed kinship caregivers will transition to the new Kinship WAC Chapter 110-149 on June 30, 2025. If you were licensed with a non-safety waiver, it will no longer be needed with the new Kinship WACs, effective June 30, 2025.

All licensed caregivers, including those holding a kinship license, will receive more information over the next several months. You might notice emails from WA CAP by Binti regarding these changes. Please read those emails as they will help you through this transition.

Licensing Wide Engagement Approach

DCYF's Licensing Division is using a consistent, inclusive approach to work with providers and caregivers. The goal is to create positive relationships between licensors and licensees that will benefit the communities we serve. Learn more about this approach and the benefits of these concepts: Strength-Based Approach and Collaborative Compliance.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please email dcyf.licensingfeedback@dcyf.wa.gov.

DCYF will review requests for dependent children and youth placed in both in-home and in out-of-home care to:

• Attend camp and/or
• DCYF to pay for camps to support their participation in normal childhood activities.

Caregivers can arrange and independently approve for children or youth to attend day camp or overnight camps under 72 hours if they are not requesting DCYF to pay for the camp.

DCYF has an approval process for any camps that require DCYF payment or overnight camps more than 72 hours.

Caregivers who are interested in arranging camp opportunities for children or youth in their care should contact their assigned caseworker. For overnight camps, DCYF has to verify that the camps have appropriate safety protocols. This requires additional time, and these requests should be made early.

Additional information can be found in the policy. If you have questions about this policy, email Michelle Hetzel at michelle.hetzel@dcyf.wa.gov.

The Caregiver Supports Project launched in July 2024 to help caregivers meet the unique needs of each child or young person placed with them.

This project is providing support services to all caregivers who have placement of a DCYF child or youth within 13 counties across the State. These services continue to expand as contracted Caregiver Support providers grow their service capacity to meet the needs of the caregivers near them.

Phased Implementation Delay 

Currently, the Caregiver Supports program, with DCYF project leadership support, has made the decision to temporarily pause program implementation of the remaining six caregiver support catchment areas to allow DCYF to continue to fine tune contract details. This means the eligible caregivers living in the remaining six areas will experience a delay in receiving caregiver support services.
The phased implementation of the 14 statewide catchment areas (area of service) was divided into two groups:

• Catchment areas 1-8 have either or are close to, full implementation of Caregiver Support services. These active Caregiver Support catchment areas will remain in effect without interruption to services.
• Catchment areas 9-14, were scheduled to start providing phased in services between July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026. These catchment areas have been paused. View the full list.

Next Steps

DCYF is working to review the necessary items in the contract as quickly as possible. As soon as there is an updated timeline for catchment areas 9-14, it will be shared.

For more project information and updates, please refer to the project webpage.
If you have any questions, please email dcyf.caregiversupports@dcyf.wa.gov.

Since First Aid and CPR training is not available through the Alliance, new applicants and caregivers renewing their license must pay for these trainings out of pocket and can submit for reimbursement once their license is issued.

What CPR and First Aid training is required?

WAC 110-148-1375 requires all caregivers over the age of 18 to complete the following to get licensed:

• First Aid 
• Age-appropriate, adult or infant, CPR training that meets nationally recognized standards set by the American Heart Association

Find First Aid-CPR Training near you: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, check with your local fire station, or search online for CPR training that is certified by the American Heart Association.

 How do caregivers request reimbursement?

• Keep a copy of your receipt from the training along with your certification card showing you’ve met the CPR and First Aid requirements.
• Once your license has been issued, contact your licensor for specific instructions and give them your CPR and First Aid training receipt.
• Your licensor will complete the reimbursement form on your behalf to ensure you receive your payment.

Remember, if you withdraw your application or your foster care application is denied, you will not be eligible for reimbursement. If you have any questions, contact your licensor.

MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ includes six to 10 foster or kinship families connected
to an experienced caregiver known as the “Hub Home” forming a “constellation.”

Constellations are like an extended family, they are there to help with all parts of
care for youth, and families and to build community supports and resources. gatherings to connect everyone in the Constellation through an extended family/network. 

Program Benefits Include: 

• Access to respite, training, mentoring, and community resources
• Monthly gatherings and social events
• Increased connections for caregivers, youth, and families
• More opportunities for sibling visits and reunification support
• Normalizing experiences for youth

Learn more about the program by viewing the MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ webpage.

If you are interested in being part of a MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ community or want more information about the program, please fill out the inquiry form. 

If you are interested in being a Hub Home, view the Requirements and Expectations.

The Alliance for Professional Development, Training, and Caregiver Excellence

• Paper Trail: Documentation Training for Caregivers — May 27, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
  This training will cover best practices for documentation to prepare and support you and others involved in the child’s life, with the ultimate goal of sharing information, concerns and progress. Focused learnings around why documentation matters are central to the course – specific scenarios help translate ideas to real-life examples. Register Here 
• Foster Care: A Means to Support Families — May 29, 10 a.m. to Noon This course helps you understand the child welfare experience from the perspective of the child’s parents and supports finding compassion for parents and the challenges they may be facing. Strategies to nurture children’s relationships with their parents and to integrate and maintain ongoing communication and connection between parents and children are covered.
  Register Here
  
  Learn about all the upcoming classes.
  Sign up to get these notices sent right to your inbox or explore the training calendar.