Since the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) was formed in 2017, it has nearly cut the number of children in out-of-home care in half. In 2018, there were 9,171 children placed outside their homes, while this year that has shrunk to 4,971 out-of-home placements. This is largely due to the department’s Thriving Families Initiative, which aims to provide support for families so children can remain home. “We know that supporting and collaborating with families by providing access to services and programs increases their number of protective factors, leading to better outcomes,” DCYF Assistant Secretary Natalie Green said in an Aug. 14 news release. “Giving families the tools they need to thrive and safely parent means more children and youth remain safely at home.” While placements in foster care or group homes have decreased significantly, the number of child abuse and neglect complaints – about 93,000 in 2018 and 92,000 in 2023 – received by DCYF has not significantly changed. (COLTON RASANEN)