Birth Parent Advocacy Workgroup

In March ’07, Catalyst for Kids convened the first meeting of the Birth Parent Advocacy Workgroup. The workgroup is comprised of reunified birth parents and the professionals, who work with, support and advocate for them. The workgroup will explore different ways in which the voice and action of birth parents can strengthen Washington State’s child welfare system and follow through with the implementation of priority strategies.

Finding Our Roots: Permanent Connections for Youth

Finding Our Roots is a project that uses Family Group Conferencing and coordinated legal advocacy to provide adolescents in foster care in Seattle and Yakima with permanency through lifelong connections to caring adults. Its is a collaborative project of Catalyst for Kids, Northwest Institute for Children and Families, UW Child and Youth Advocacy Clinic and Children’s Administration. The project is funded by the Stuart Foundation and Region 2 Children’s Administration.

King County Coalition on Racial Disproportionality

The King County Coalition on Racial Disproportionality is a broad-based coalition committed to understanding and taking action to address racial inequities in King County’s child welfare system. The Honorable Patricia Clark, King County Superior Court; Jacquelyn Buchanan, Regional Administrator – Region 4 DSHS/Children’s Administration; and Lyman Legters, Director of Casey Family Programs – Seattle Office serve as the Executive Committee. Catalyst for Kids staffs the Coalition.

Reasonable Efforts Symposium

In partnership with the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, Catalyst for Kids provides planning, coordination and facilitation of 7 yearly interdisciplinary training symposia held in each region throughout Washington state. The Reasonable Efforts Symposia bring together stakeholders from the courts, Children’s Administration, and private agencies to focus on cross-system development and implementation of reform strategies. The symposia are funded through the Federal Court Improvement grant.