Department of Children Youth and Families Archives

Case Of Missing Washington 5-Year-Old Highlights Secrecy Around CPS Cases

By Austin Jenkins May 12, 2022

Missing 5-year-old Oakley Carlson, left, next to an image of her former foster parents Erik and Jamie Jo Hiles of Elma, Washington. The couple has concerns about how Washington's Department of Children Youth and Families handled Oakley's child welfare case and the decision to return the girl to her biological parents.

There are more questions than answers in the case of a missing former foster child from Grays Harbor County. Five-year-old Oakley Carlson has been unaccounted for since February of last year. Police say her parents aren’t cooperating with the investigation. Oakley’s former foster mom questions why Oakley was sent back to live with her parents after more than two years in Read More

Hotel Stays Up, Abuse Reports Down: Report Highlights COVID’s Affect On Washington Child Welfare

By Austin Jenkins December 8, 2020

A poster for reporting child abuse and neglect in Washington State

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in Washington foster youth spending more nights in hotel rooms while overall reports of child abuse and neglect have declined precipitously. Those are among the pandemic-related findings of an annual report from the state’s Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds (OFCO) released Monday. Read More

13,000+ Washingtonians Qualify For Developmental Disabilities Services, But Don’t Get Them

By Austin Jenkins September 25, 2019

Lindsey Topping-Schuetz holds her nearly three-year-old son Owen who qualifies for developmental disabilities services, but has been denied them because of a lack of state funding. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS / N3

Fifty years ago, Owen might have been institutionalized because of his developmental disabilities. Today, his family just wants to take care of him at home. But they can’t get services from the state to help. And they’re not alone.Read More

New Report Sounds Alarm Over State Of Washington’s Foster Care System

By Austin Jenkins November 27, 2018

The report, released late Monday, sounds the alarm over the rising use of hotels to temporarily house foster youth. CREDIT: FLICKR PHOTO/RICH UCHYTIL (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)/HTTPS://BIT.LY/2KEV8GW

Washington's child welfare system is failing to adequately serve foster youth with the most vexing needs, resulting in hotel stays and out-of-state placements, according to a new report by the state's Office of the Family and Children's Ombudsman (OFCO).Read More