The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is seeking stories from families across the state to give county and state leaders valuable information to study and act on. Learning more about how families are coping during COVID-19, what challenges they face, and any insights will help DCYF build strong and healthy communities that support all families and children to thrive. DCYF will use information gathered in this project to work with communities in designing and funding programs which build protective factors in local families and communities.
DCYF is partnering with the University of Kansas on the Our Tomorrows story project to provide a way for parents and community members to share stories about how they cope and find support in challenging times. Using a story-based tool called Sensemaker, individuals can share their stories with DCYF. DCYF will also host interactive community meetings to understand these stories together and use them to plan prevention activities. The Strengthening Families Washington program uses Sensemaker in program planning for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) activities and the Strengthen Families Locally (SFL) project.
“The experiences and stories of the families in our communities matter. DCYF is asking families, community members, and service providers to share stories and participate with us in designing community solutions based on the shared understanding,” said Erinn Havig, Primary and Community Prevention Lead at DCYF. “Everyone has a story and experience that matters and demonstrates what families experience and how families are coping with these times. Please join us in sharing stories now and helping us make sense of the stories on an on-going basis to influence program decisions.”
SFL aims to increase family resilience and reduce rates of child maltreatment and entry into foster care in target communities. DCYF is receiving funding from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to work with community members in Bremerton, Port Angeles/Sequim, Spokane, and Stevens County. SFL is partnering with community organizations, government, tribes, schools, families, and volunteers in these service areas to design community-driven solutions to prevent child abuse and Child Protective Services (CPS) system involvement.
“This exciting work highlights the power in our communities to support child and family well-being. Through this partnership work with the Sensemaker tool, we will have families tell us how they want their children to learn and grow in their communities,” said Judy King, Director of Family Support Programs at DCYF. “The wisdom and voices of families will shape the ongoing development of safe and nurturing environments for children and their families. We look forward to listening and learning about what is helpful, what is harmful, and what is desired by families as they realize their dreams for their children.”
Anyone in Washington State can share a story about what families are experiencing. Sharing a story takes about 5-10 minutes. You may share as many stories as you’d like.
Contribute by following one of these links:
- For stories in one of our SFL communities:
- For stories in other parts of Washington State: