The Children Youth and Young Adults Division (CYYAD) believes that King County should be a place where all young people have equitable opportunities to be healthy, safe, and thriving members of their communities.

To make this vision a reality, we build the life, academic, and employment skills for young people to reach their full potential as they journey from childhood to adulthood.

CYYAD focuses on promotion, prevention, and early intervention for children and youth ages 5 to 24. The division operates several engagement, education, and employment programs for youth and young adults, and is home to the Best Starts for Kids 5 to 24 investments.

BSK is considered the most comprehensive approach to child development in the nation. Best Starts for Kids invests an average of $65 million per year to support King County families and children so that babies are born healthy, children thrive, and young people grow into happy, healthy adults.