Caregiver Conference 2025

Choose your own adventure. Caregiver Conference 2025. Imagery shows grass, a river, trees, and mountains that resemble Washington state's geography.

Thank you so much for joining our Caregiver Conference: Choose Your Own Adventure! This 3-day event took place June 27 – 29, 2025. Conference activities included two in-person events, one day of online training, and a keynote speaker. Attendees will receive training credit for their attendance through the portal on the Alliance website. Please give us one month to finalize these. 

As your caregiving adventure continues, we would love to support you. Visit AllianceCaRES.org to connect with our network of mentors, community connectors, and local events.

Looking for resources highlighted during the conference? Find partner agencies, statewide resources, regional resources, and continued learning opportunities below. A printable version of this resource guide can be found here.

We are grateful to the community partners who joined us at the parks throughout the state! You can find a complete list of resources, including many other Alliance CaRES partners, on our website AllianceCaRES.org.

Region 1 (Adams, Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties)

Region 2 (Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties)

Region 3 (Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties)

Region 4 (King County)

  • Seattle Angels – Love Boxes and Dare to Dream programs for families involved in the system 
  • YMCA – DCYF Caregiver Supports Program provider in King County
  • Friends of Youth – Harm reduction, equity, and trauma-informed care services for families facing homelessness and foster care

Region 5 (Kitsap and Pierce counties)

Region 6 (Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Skamania, Thurston, and Wahkiakum counties)

*A special thanks to Spooner Berry Farms for their donation to the Olympia and Centralia parks!

Many of our community partners serve caregivers and families throughout the state! You can find additional resources, including links to DCYF acronyms, licensing, and first placement information, on our website at AllianceCaRES.org/Resources. You can also access the entire catalog of Alliance trainings at RiseWithTheAlliance.org.

  • Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD): puts young children across Washington state on a lifelong path to good oral health.
  • Boys & Girls Club: Members ages 6 to 18 years old get a no-cost Boys & Girls Club basic membership, covered by Coordinated Care.
  • Camping and day use entry to WA State Parks: Free campsite and day use entry to foster and kinship care families with dependent children.
  • Camp Ten Trees: Residential camping programs for LGBTQ+ youth and youth of LGBTQ+ families.
  • Coordinated Care Centers for Excellence: Clinics that are tailored to support children and youth in foster care including for the initial physicals required at placement.
  • Craft + Boogie: Easy crafts and activities, planned, prepped, and delivered. Request a craft kit sent to you for foster child(ren) age 3+ who are in your care.
  • DCYF Who to Contact Resources for Foster Parents and Kinship Caregivers: Knowing who to contact for different needs can be really hard for foster parents and kinship caregiver in a large child welfare system. This guide lets caregivers know who to contact about different topics.
  • DSHS Reduced Cost Service Guide: The Reduced Cost Services Guide highlights a variety of products and services available in or near Washington state that are offered at reduced cost for people meeting certain income levels.
  • Foster Youth College Resources: This guide includes resources, organizations, articles, videos, financial help, and more for youth who have experienced foster care.
  • Fosterful: Through trauma-informed care practices, provide nurturing environments and basic necessities to kids entering foster care. Located across the state and expanding.
  • God’s Closet: Children’s Clothing closet in with locations in: Deer Park, East Wenatchee, and Spokane, Yakima, Monroe, Des Moines, Lacey, and Vancouver.
  • IFoster: A free, members-only community supporting children in or at-risk of entry into child welfare, to access the resources and opportunities they need to become successful, independent adults.
  • Imagination Library of Washington: Enroll your child online. In 6-8 weeks, your child will receive their first book in the mail, ‘The Little Engine That Could’. Books arrive in the mail monthly until your child’s 5th birthday.
  • Kids Bowl Free: Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the Kids Bowl Free program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer.
  • Royal Family Kids’ Camp: Summer camp especially designed with foster children in mind.
  • Sibling Strong: Reunite brothers and sisters who have Washington ties and who are separated because of foster care and other out-of-home care for camps and events that reinforce their sibling connection.
  • Team Celebrate: Provides Birthday cards and party supplies in Bellingham, Bothell, Bremerton, Burlington, Cowlitz County, Federal Way, Issaquah, Pasco, Poulsbo, Spokane.
  • Ted Brown Music Outreach: Free or reduced cost instruments. In addition they offer Instrument Exploration Camps.
  • Together We Rise: Offers many programs supporting youth in care: Birthday boxes, duffel bags, Bikes, Educational Scholarships and more.
  • Treehouse: Offers many programs to youth across the state including educational support, holiday gifts, driver’s assistance, a clothing closet and just in time funding program.

CaRES Region 1 Resource Page (Adams, Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties)

CaRES Region 2 Resource Page (Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties)

CaRES Region 3 Resource Page (Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties)

CaRES Region 4 Resource Page (King County)

CaRES Region 5 Resource Page (Kitsap and Pierce counties)

CaRES Region 6 Resource Page (Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Skamania, Thurston, and Wahkiakum counties)

Keep the learning adventure going with The Alliance! You can find our complete catalog of eLearning, webinar, and Topic Support Group trainings at RiseWithTheAlliance.org.

Need a place to start? We suggest these trainings based on the tracks and session content.

Track #1: Behavior and Emotional Well-Being

track #2: Working with the System

Track #3: Educational and Developmental Services

Track #4: Supporting Permanency

We are excited to host a new type of conference, Choose Your Own Adventure! This 3-day event will take place on June 27 – 29, 2025. Conference activities will include two in-person events, one day of online training and a keynote speaker. Attendees will receive training credit for their attendance. In-person meeting locations and training zoom links coming soon! Find information about Friday, Saturday, and Sunday by clicking the links or scrolling down. Register for this event here! Registration is free and open to kin and foster caregivers residing in Washington.

Agenda

Friday, June 27

4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Park Meetups

Meet a CaRES representative at a park near you to kick off our conference! Each park will have swag, pizza, and more set up for you to pick up in advance of our keynote. 

Select the location pin closest to you to find details about your park, including the address, shelter number, and whether there is a splash pad. We invite you to explore your park’s amenities and bring blankets, chairs, and any other essentials your family may need for a fun evening!

Region 1 (Adams, Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties)

  • Holmberg Picnic Shelter – 720 W Holland Ave, Spokane
  • Discovery Playground #1 – West 2426 N Discovery Place, Spokane Valley
  • Rotary Park, South Picnic Shelter – 1810 Maple St, Wenatchee
  • Blue Heron Park, Westlake Shelter – 111 Westshore Dr NE, Moses Lake
  • Yep Kanum Park, Gilbert Picnic Shelter – 356 E. Dominion Ave, Colville

Region 2 (Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties)

  • Mountain View Park – S Willow St, Ellensburg
  • Highlands Grange Park – 1600 S Union Street, Kennewick
  • Eastgate Lions Park – 2140 Tacoma St, Walla Walla
  • Moxee City Park – S Rivard Rd, Moxee

Region 3 (Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties)

  • Jennings Park – 5500 70th St NE, Marysville
  • Cornwall Park – 3424 Meridian Street, Bellingham
  • Hillcrest Park – 1717 S 13th St, Mount Vernon

Region 4 (King County)

  • Woodland Park (Seattle) – 1000 N 50th St, Seattle
  • Powell Barnett Park (Seattle) – 352 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Seattle
  • Cedar River Trail Park – 1060 Nishiwaki Ln, Renton

Region 5 (Kitsap and Pierce counties)

  • Fort Steilacoom Park – 8714 87th Ave SW, Lakewood
  • Bradley Lake Park – 531 31st Ave SE, Puyallup
  • Manette Park – 1125 Vandalia Ave, Bremerton

Region 6 (Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Skamania, Thurston, and Wahkiakum counties)

  • Marshall Park – 1069 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver
  • Dream Playground at Erickson Park – 302 S. Race St., Port Angeles
  • Woodland Creek Park – 6647 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia
  • Fort Borst Park – 2020 Borst Avenue, Centralia
  • Tam O’Shantor Park, large shelter – 444 Valley View Drive, Kelso
  • John Gable Community Park – 501 W Emerson Ave, Hoquiam
7:00 p.m. The Past Becomes The Present 

Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/93780037085

We all carry our own stories and histories with us, affecting who we are and how we navigate our lives. We even carry these histories into our parenting whether we notice it or not. Join Kiantha Duncan in a conversation about recognizing these traits and how we can approach them with positivity.

Saturday, June 28

Choose your own training adventure!

Are you looking to learn more about one specific subject? We invite you to follow one of our four tracks:

  1. Behavior and Emotional Well-Being
  2. Working with the System
  3. Educational and Developmental Services
  4. Supporting Permanency

You are not required to stay on one track for the entire conference. 

9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Breakouts

Track 1: How Power Struggles Drive Behavior Challenges – Strategies of Conquer Power Struggles and Decrease Escalated Behavior Challenges
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/97636300707
Power struggles (whether adults recognize them or not) are often the drivers of more escalated behavior challenges like defiance, verbal and physical aggression, eloping, peer conflicts, non-compliance, etc.  This seminar will describe why power struggle behaviors are so prevalent in out-of-home care and provide research-supported strategies to recognize emerging power struggles, strategies to proactively deter power struggles, and specific steps to disengage from power struggles. 
Scott Hanauer

Track 2: Managing Feelings of Loss and Ambivalence
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/99303295742
This session will help you recognize why you may have feelings of loss and ambivalence about wanting to or feeling able to provide kinship care. You will also discuss how to identify when loss and ambivalence should be considered when deciding whether or not to continue as a kinship care provider and identify strategies for managing feelings of loss and ambivalence, so that stability and well-being is maintained for the children.
Dr. Joseph Crumbley

Track 3: Advocating for Educational Stability
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/92707525465
This session will equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to effectively advocate for your student’s educational success. We’ll explore key topics including school-based supports for behavior, understanding and navigating IEPs and 504 plans, addressing attendance and truancy issues, and building strong collaboration with school teams. You will leave with practical strategies and best practices to help ensure educational stability and long-term success for the children in their care.
Alexandra Howe, Alliance CaRES

Track 4: Fostering While Parenting: Supporting Our Biological and Adopted Children
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/91427450621

When you have children who live at home with you, becoming a foster parent also means becoming a foster family. Growing up with foster siblings comes with unique joys and challenges. During this topic support group, you will discuss strategies you can use to help the children already in your home adapt and thrive. Through a supportive facilitated discussion, you will collaborate with fellow caregivers to consider the impact fostering may have on your children and share strategies you can use to nurture strength and resilience as a family unit.
Lisa Konick

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.: Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Breakouts

Track 1: Attachment Theory, Developmental & Relational Trauma: A Call to Rethink Foster Children’s “Behavioral Challenges”
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/99995935154
Megan Malinoski, MSW, TBRI Practitioner

Track 2: Managing Loyalty Issues in Kinship Care
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/94339970050
This session will help you identify the sources, cues and types of loyalty issues you might experience and explain how loyalty issues can impact your ability to provide safety, stability and protection. You will also learn strategies and approaches in managing feelings of disloyalty, split/dual loyalties and guilt as kinship care providers.
Dr. Joseph Crumbley

Track 3: Foster Care Education 101
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/98074784959
Education is a critical stability component that positively impacts the lives of students who experience foster or kinship care. Legislation, both federal and state, aims to improve the educational experience of foster care students by requiring schools, child welfare, courts, and appointed attorneys to address school stability and ensure children in care stay connected to people and programs that matter to them.
Stacey Klim, OSPI

Track 4: Transitions: Building Meaning Around Moves
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/94048479462
Transitions are a part of kinship care and fostering. So, what can you do to support the young people in your care when a transition occurs? During this session, you will review example transition plans and build a transition toolkit full of practical tips and strategies you can use if you are helping a child or youth moving home, or to a new placement or receiving a child or youth into your home. We’ll discuss small steps you can take when you find out about a move within hours of it happening. By the end of this session, you will have concrete ideas about building a transition plan, transition tools, and how to build meaning around moves.
Holly Luna

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.: Lunch

1:15 – 2:45 p.m. Breakouts

Track 1: Neurodivergence: Teaching executive functioning and organizational skills
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/98025972235
Join UW Autism Center behavior analyst John Ketchum for a discussion on neurodiversity and strategies to support executive functioning skills for neurodivergent learners.
University of Washington Autism Center

Track 2: Guardianship and Adoption for Kinship/Understanding Permanency Options
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/99191305670
Washington’s permanency planning statutes require the timely resolution of dependency cases while promoting a child-centered decision-making process for children in the child welfare system. This workshop will discuss the various types of permanency planning options available, the individuals involved in the planning process, and the resources available once a plan is in place.
Geene Delaplane

Track 3: Supplements, Trauma, and Nutrition, Oh My!
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/92231411359
Children entering care often times have been through a traumatic experience. That trauma can impact their body physically, mentally and emotionally. Join us as we review how trauma and nutrition impact the brain and review some of the supplements that can successfully diminish trauma reactions and help rewire the brain.
Desiree White, Foster Adopt Clinic

Track 4: Supporting Tribal Children: Understanding Tribal History & Connections
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/91484131862
This session will explore the historical and cultural context surrounding tribal children in out-of-home care. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of tribal sovereignty, the impact of historical trauma, and the importance of cultural identity and connection. We’ll discuss traditional Native American parenting styles, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and how to work collaboratively with tribes to support the well-being of tribal children in your care.
Mandy Morlin and Natalie Adams

2:45 – 3:00 p.m.: Break

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Breakouts

Track 1: Addressing Child/Youth Hygiene Issues with TBRI Principles
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/94276090230
Is there a young person in your life who is resistant to caring for their personal hygiene? As children get older, hygiene practices will become increasingly important to learn and manage on their own. Talking to kids about hygiene issues using Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) principles can be very effective. Join us for a conversation on approaching this topic through a TBRI focus built on trust and connection.
Sherry Colomb

Track 2: Pathways to Licensing and Support for Kinship Caregivers
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/94096941573
This presentation will cover the history of kinship caregiving in Washington State, why kinship caregiving is important in child welfare, and provide attendees with an update on changes that occurred within the Licensing Division for kinship families. This presentation will also provide a quick overview of the steps needed to become a licensed kinship caregiver and some of the supports caregivers can receive as they navigate their journey with child welfare.
Shane Wherry

Track 3: Fostering as Part of the Team
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/98242959526
As a caregiver for a child in the foster care system, you are a vital member of the parenting team. During this session, we will identify the members of the child’s foster care team and their respective roles, while discussing strategies to promote positive relationships. We will explore how to support family time visitation and build partnerships with the biological/first family, as well as understand the role of DCYF staff and how to collaborate effectively with them to ensure placement success.
April Burrer

Track 4: Fostering Across Race, Ethnicity & Culture
Zoom link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/99564135986
Welcoming a child into your home, even temporarily, means accepting and affirming their whole selves. When a child has a different racial, ethnic, or cultural background than yours, it can be challenging to know the best ways to properly care for their unique physical, spiritual, and cultural needs.
Deshanna Brown, Alliance CaRES

Sunday, June 29

Theater Takeover 

Meet a CaRES representative at a theater near you for a special showing of Elio or Despicable Me 4! This will be a private screening, just for our conference, that you can bring your family to. Please plan to attend the movie at the location that you have registered.

Select the location pin closest to you to find details about your theater, including the address, showtime, and movie selection. 

Region 1 (Adams, Asotin, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties)

  • Garland Theater – 924 W Garland Ave, Spokane
  • Cinemark Grand Cinemas – 1325 W Poplar St, Walla Walla

Region 2 (Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties)

  • AMC CLASSIC Kennewick 12 – 1380 N Louisiana St, Kennewick
  • Majestic Theater – 1919 S 14th St, Union Gap

Region 3 (Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties)

  • Regal Marysville – 9811 State Ave, Marysville
  • Regal Barkley Village – 3005 Cinema Pl, Bellingham
  • AMC CLASSIC Cascade Mall 14 – 200 Cascade Mall Dr, Burlington

Region 4 (King County)

  • North Bend Theatre – 125 Bendigo Blvd N, North Bend
  • The Beacon Cinema – 4405 Rainier Ave S, Seattle

Region 5 (Kitsap and Pierce counties)

  • Regal Lakewood – 2410 S 84th St, Lakewood
  • Tracyton Movie House – 1520 NE Riddell Rd, Bremerton

Region 6 (Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Skamania, Thurston, and Wahkiakum counties)

  • Midway Cinema – 181 NE Hampe Way, Chehalis
  • Regal Martin Village – 5400 Martin Way E, Lacey
  • Kelso Theater Pub – 214 S Pacific Ave, Kelso
  • Kiggins Theatre – 1011 Main St, Vancouver

This conference is a partnership between The Alliance for Professional Development, Training, and Caregiver Excellence, Alliance CaRES, and the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families.