Parent to Parent

Juvenile Dependency - Parent to Parent Program

Superior Court offers a program to help parents whose children have been placed in foster care. The program -- called “Parent to Parent” -- connects "Veteran Parents" (parents who have successfully navigated the juvenile dependency system) with parents who have just become involved with the system. The Veteran Parents provide support and help parents new to the system understand what they must do to successfully reunite with their children.

The program consists of two main elements: Veteran Parent support at the Shelter Care Hearing (case initiation), and a two-hour educational class known as Dependency 101.

The Shelter Care Hearing. The first court hearing in a juvenile dependency case is called the 72-Hour Shelter Care Hearing. At this hearing, a judge or commissioner decides whether it is safe for the child to remain in the home or whether the child should be placed in out-of-home care. The focus of the hearing is to protect the child and offer ways for the parent to address the issues that led to the state’s involvement.

Parents typically come to the Shelter Care Hearing feeling scared, confused, angry, and alone. A Volunteer Parent meets with parents before they go into court and helps them understand that others have been through this process, reminding them that reunification is possible. This in turn encourages parents to engage in the dependency process and work with the professionals. The Volunteer Parent also gathers contact information from the parent, signs him or her up for the Dependency 101 class, and stays through the court hearing to provide moral support.

Dependency 101. Dependency 101 is a two-hour session designed to educate the parents about the dependency system and help them learn to navigate it. VPs and system stakeholders collaborate in presenting to the parents. During the class, the parents:

Receive a packet with information on the dependency process, a calendar to track appointments, a list of important phone numbers, a Family Treatment Court pamphlet, a list of current community resources, and other tools to assist them;

Watch an educational video about the dependency process;

Listen to VPs share their experience with the dependency system;

Hear a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), an assistant attorney general, a social worker, a Family Treatment Court representative, and a parent’s attorney discuss their roles in the dependency process and how they interact with parents, children, and the court.

The program currently operates at the King County Courthouse in Seattle and at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

For more information call:

Seattle: (206) 205-9585

Kent: (206) 205-9739