Caregiver Conference_2025 Report
2025 Caregiver Conference Report
'Choose Your Own Adventure'
On June 27-29, The Alliance hosted the 2025 Caregiver Conference, themed “Choose Your Own Adventure.” The event blended in-person relationship-building opportunities with online learning sessions.
The conference was open to kinship caregivers, foster parents, guardianship caregivers, adoptive parents and their families who live in Washington.
The event began on Friday evening with Pizza in the Park at 24 local parks across every region. Multiple community partners also participated in kick-off event by tabling or bringing resources to share. Pizza in the Park was followed by a keynote presentation from author, poet and advocate Kiantha Duncan, who experienced foster care as a youth.
On Saturday, caregivers joined virtually to learn alongside each other in workshops hosted by community and national experts as well as several DCYF partners. The sessions followed four tracks: Behavior and Emotional Well-Being; Working with the System (kinship-focused); Educational and Development Services; and Supporting Permanency. Caregivers could follow a single track or choose individual sessions across tracks to tailor their learning experience to the needs of their children, young people, and household.
On Sunday, the conference concluded with a family event: private screenings at theaters across the state. Caregivers and kids joined CaRES and Alliance staff for private movie screenings of “Elio” or “Despicable Me 4” in 15 locations throughout the state.
The conference was met with enthusiasm from relatives, foster parents, adoptive and guardianship parents as well as community partners.
View the full conference agenda, including session descriptions, here.
View the final conference feedback survey report here.
"This was seriously AMAZING. So insightful. I was very excited about this one and feel like I learned so much. So thank you!"
"This training makes me feel seen and validated."
By the Numbers
* Formal attendance with names was only taken at sessions that conferred credit, which were the Friday online keynote and Saturday online sessions. Also, this total does not reflect attendance by Alliance or CaRES staff or contractors such as Mentors.
Online session attendees were asked to share how they identify, whether as foster, kinship or adoptive caregivers. Not all attendees shared this information. Of those who did, the breakdown was: 13 foster, 8 foster/adoptive, 2 foster/kinship, 1 kinship, and 1 CASA.
Individual Impact
The Choose Your Own Adventure Caregiver Conference Kick-off brought caregivers from across Kitsap County together for an evening of connection, collaboration, and community. Children played together while surrounded by a group of understanding parents who truly “get it,” creating a space that felt safe and welcoming for everyone.
Caregivers had the chance to meet Molly, our new CaRES Community Connector for the Kitsap region. Molly spent the evening having meaningful conversations with families, learning more about their needs, and asking what kinds of events and resources would be most helpful moving forward. From casual gatherings to focused support groups, caregivers were able to share what they hope to see in their community. These conversations also led to valuable opportunities, including an offer of meeting space from a local CPA and a lead on future support events through a caregiver’s brother, who pastors a nearby church.
Events like this help strengthen the local foster and kinship community by creating space for relationships to grow and voices to be heard.
The Choose Your Own Adventure Caregiver Conference Kick-off Park Event was a wonderful opportunity for Region 4 Caregivers, Alliance and CaRES staff/mentors, and community volunteers to come together and feel accepted, valued, and appreciated.
Powell Barnett Park in Seattle’s Central Area was the perfect setting for pizza, laughter and deep conversation on Friday, June 27. A caregiver who expressed that she was having challenges shared at the end of the evening that she really appreciated the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with a CaRES mentor, Alliance staff, volunteers and other caregivers, who took turns accompanying her around the playground while she followed her energetic foster son. Other participants exchanged contact information with promises to stay in touch. A lively time was had by all, with almost everyone staying 45 minutes past the official ending time to continue the fun!
At Pizza in the Park at Woodland Park in Seattle, Alliance and CaRES team members set up games, balloons, branded materials and printed resources.
The event offered the opportunity for staff to connect with community partners and explore new relationships. Jess Ellsworth, Executive Director of Seattle Angels, came with handouts to share. She spent an hour visiting with the Alliance team.
“While there weren’t caregivers or families present, it was still incredibly valuable for me to connect with Robin and Jean and to deepen Seattle Angels’ relationship with the Alliance,” she said. “I especially loved our brainstorming around possible support avenues for our youth and families. I left feeling inspired by our conversations and encouraged by the ways our organizations can support one another in building stronger community connections!”