How does our work transform when we stop talking and start listening? Adjusting personal and program parameters to put young people first is the first step in challenging ourselves personally and professionally to engage the young people traditionally left outside of our programs. Roslyn Kagy will share stories about youth engagement on the streets and the powerful healing, community building, and personal transformations that take place when youth work gets a little unconventional.
The evidence is consistent and compelling: when schools, families, and communities authentically partner to support learning, children tend to do better in their academics, stay in school longer, have more positive educational experiences, and are better positioned for life, college, and career. Fa’izah Bradford will talk about the benefits of meaningful and culturally responsive engagement, and the pitfalls that can occur when institutions stop at involvement.
It has been almost a year since the state launched its quality rating system called Early Achievers. Early Achievers focuses on improving the quality of care for children aged 0 – 5 years old in licensed child care settings. In addition, child care providers are increasingly being seen as centrally important in getting children ready for school which is being measured by WaKids (Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills). These two significant changes (Early Achievers and WaKids) have put pressure on child care providers in new ways. Deeann Puffert will explore the impact of these pressures and talk about the challenges of needing to get every child ready for a successful school and life experience while working within an underfunded business model.
This workshop would give an introduction to Infant Mental Health (IMH), increasing awareness of the mental health needs of young children and services provided for children ages birth to five, the functional social emotional domains and how they develop within relationships. This session will be presented in an interactive way so as to elicit participation from those attending the workshop and make connections between social emotional development, infant mental health, and early learning settings. This workshop will introduce how infant mental health providers work with parent/child dads to increase the child's social emotional capacities and the possibilities for partnership with early learning providers and settings. Addressing trauma and supporting healing is an integral piece of infant mental health work and will be highlighted throughout the workshop as it connects to IMH and a young child's social and emotional development. (Conducted in English. Spanish interpretation headsets available on a first-come, first served basis.)
Este taller proveerá una introducción sobre Salud Mental Infantil (SMI), aumentara en entendimiento de las necesidades de salud mental de los niños y proveedores de servicios para niños desde el nacimiento a cinco años de edad, sobre los dominios emocionales sociales funcionales y cómo se desarrollan dentro de las relaciones. Esta sesión se presentará de manera interactiva con el fin de provocar la participación de los asistentes y hacer conexiones entre desarrollo social emocional, salud mental infantil y entornos de aprendizaje temprano. Este taller explorara la forma en la que proveedores de servicio trabajan con padres/niños y papas para aumentar las capacidades socio-emocionales del niño y las posibilidades de asociación con proveedores de aprendizaje temprano. Enfrentar el tema de trauma y apoyar la recuperación es una pieza integral de trabajo de salud mental infantil y será resaltado durante esta sesión ya que conecta con IMH y el desarrollo social y emocional de los niños pequeños. (Ofrecido en inglés. Interpretación al español por medio de headsets disponibles de acuerdo al orden de llegada.)
It takes teamwork to make the dream work. There are approximately 2 million young people living in the United States without documentation, and every year around 65,000 students graduate from high school without “papers.” However, undocumented youth continue to be excluded from conversations, curriculums, and opportunities every day. This session will address ways that all organizations and programs can become more effective, responsive, and responsible in their work with undocumented and mixed status children, youth, and families. Topics may include facilitating mixed status conversations, available programs, supporting job searching, college and career steps, travel and opportunities and more.
Young people need love and acceptance to be successful, and young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning have special needs for support and understanding from their families. However families may not have all the information or tools they need to provide the necessary support to their LGBT children. In this workshop we will explore how families can best support their LGBT students, to help ensure their success in school and in life!
This workshop will provide participants with a basic understanding of brain growth in the first five years of life. We will also showcase the latest techniques used to study infant brains, including ERP and MEG. To demonstrate neural development, we will focus on I-LABS work that describes how the baby brain changes as a function of early language learning. Finally, we will end with a discussion about the types of environments that promote brain development in young children and how these quality environments affect later success.
Infants and toddlers are the most common victims of child maltreatment. However, the developmental needs of these children are not currently a priority in the child welfare system. This workshop will explore how early childhood programs and organizations can better meet those needs. Presenters include a parent who has successfully navigated the child welfare system and is now encouraging parents entering that system to seek high quality early childhood programs for their children, along with providers of home visiting and center-based programs. Workshop participants will be asked to share their experiences, ideas, and questions.
Learn about the SOAR WaKIDS Demonstration Project, and how it is being implemented at Cedar Valley Elementary (CVE) in Kent School District and Olympic View Elementary (OVE) in Federal Way School District. Participants will hear how CVE and OVE used the WaKIDS Assessment results for their incoming 2012 kindergarten class to determine which developmental domains showed the highest preparation gaps. The data helped create and implement intervention strategies that focus on young children, their parents, caregiver and early learning providers residing in the school’s catchment area. The strategies are designed to bring information and resources on school readiness, especially around the developmental areas that showed the highest preparation gap, and to build a relationship between the caregivers and the elementary school’s kindergarten teachers and staff.
Racial inequity impacts the full range of educational outcomes, from early childhood education to high school graduation and beyond. There is currently a significant amount of energy being put into the topic of education, but are we REALLY working in such a way that we will eliminate racial inequity? In this workshop, four members of the Race and Social Justice Community Roundtable will share their work to eliminate racial inequity in education using a racial equity collective impact model, highlighting work in the areas of school discipline, policy change, and legislation, and using a racial equity tool.
Racial inequity has seemingly become normalized. Whether we are taking about high school graduation, discipline, test scores, employment or incarceration, disproportionately is deep and pervasive. To eliminate racial inequity, we must create greater urgency and increase public will, and in so doing, we have to take more risks. Julie Nelson will talk candidly about the sorts of risks she sees as timely and necessary.
“Youth organizing supports the development of young people to address root causes of systematic problems in their communities by employing the skills of community organizing and policy advocacy to create healthy environments.” (Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing) Join this panel discussion featuring remarkable young organizers who are at the forefront of local, regional, and national movements. They will share successes, struggles, and strategies for effective and empowering youth organizing and help participants identify issues, clarify visions, define honest roles and boundaries for youth and adults, and get inspired about organizing!
Infant Mental Health is a pivotal component of child rearing. The meaning of IMH comes from recognizing the importance of the relationship between infant and caregiver. This relationship is what nurtures, shapes and fosters a good healthy development. We know now that caregiver's well-being and healthy outlook at life's challenges impact the infant's development in all areas: motor, language, cognitive, adaptive, and social-emotional development. Culture is an important influence in raising our children. From how parents respond to infants, the amount and kind of interaction given to infants, the routines of sleeping and feeding, and the teaching of skills that are valued; immigrant families hold close to cultural practices, often not discussed with practitioners, but crucial to child rearing within the cultural group. This workshop will provide further understanding of infant mental health and the ways that culture integrates itself into the parent-child relationship. (Conducted in English. Spanish interpretation, headsets available on a first-come, first served basis.)
La Salud Mental Infantil es un componente fundamental en la crianza. El significado de Salud Mental Infantil (SMI) proviene del reconocimiento de la importancia en la relación entre niño y cuidador. Esta relación es lo que nutre, forma y favorece un buen desarrollo saludable. Ahora sabemos que el bienestar y las actitudes sanas del cuidador a los desafíos de la vida impactan el desarrollo del bebé en todas las áreas: motores, lenguaje, cognitivas y capacidad de adaptación y desarrollo socio-emocional. La cultura es una influencia importante en la crianza de nuestros hijos. Desde la forma en la que los padres responden a los bebés, la cantidad y el tipo de interacción que les dan a sus bebés, rutinas de dormir, alimentación y enseñanzas de habilidades que son valoradas; familias inmigrantes mantienen cerca sus prácticas culturales que a menudo no discuten con profesionales de servicio las cuales son cruciales en la crianza dentro del grupo cultural. Este taller aumentara el entendimiento sobre la salud mental del niño y las formas en que la cultura se integra en la relación entre padres e hijos. (Ofrecido en inglés. Interpretación al español por medio de headsets disponibles de acuerdo al orden de llegada.)
The Strengthening Families Program is an engagement targeting families with youth ages 10-14 for one evening each week for seven weeks, that includes fun-filled sessions for parents, youth, and families leading to enhanced communication, unity, and love. Each of the seven sessions have a dedicated theme that focus on critical areas of family relationship, understanding, and strengthening, along with modeling of strong behavioral outcomes. A meal is also served at each session to all participating families. Our program and facilitators are certified by WSU Extension, who holds a national program registration. SFP has been successful in communities throughout the U.S. for over 25 years.
Children’s social and emotional health is rooted in their earliest interactions and relationships. This workshop will describe the fundamentals of early social emotional development and use examples from behavioral and neuroscience research to illustrate the building blocks of children’s social and emotional well-being. Links between early childhood experiences and later social, emotional, and academic outcomes will be discussed.
Estimates are that 20-30% of students in a typical Washington classroom have suffered significant trauma. This is even higher in at risk populations and treatment populations. We will look at the Adverse Childhood Experiences studies, what harm and neglect does to the young brain, what this means for behavior. Learn to address behaviors without using shame and humiliation. We will introduce Trauma Informed Care which stands to revolutionize substance abuse and mental health treatment, the juvenile justice system, and schools and school discipline.
Middle school transition is a turning point for many students. In this workshop, you will learn about the research and promising practices in our community that are supporting students in making successful transitions and keep on track for graduation and beyond!
Get a brief overview of the development of a racial equity theory of change (RETOC) in early learning and engage your peers in a dialogue about reducing the opportunity gap for all children. You’ll discover how the RETOC can guide your daily work and how to flex your muscles as a leader for racial equity. Thrive by Five Washington and partners will share their real-world experiences and offer opportunities to continue this work and engage in future efforts.
Join this interactive workshop and engage in meaningful dialogue about youth engagement and the impact of adultism. Participants will engage in various activities to strengthen their youth engagement practices while gaining tools for reflection and evaluation that they can utilize in their growth as a youth practitioner. Participants will leave this workshop with a better understanding of what youth engagement is and how to achieve it as well as tools to identify and address adultism within programs and organizations.
Stereotypes are pervasive in American society. These stereotypes work to perpetuate racism by associating negative qualities with people of color, and labeling those qualities as inherent. This workshop will explore how racial stereotypes can form the basis for criminal laws and can dictate how those laws are interpreted by courts and enforced by police. We will look at both historic and current examples of racial stereotyping, examine the role of media in the “teaching” racial stereotypes, and explore examples of criminal laws and cases, as well as interventions such as the War on Drugs. (Conducted in English. Spanish interpretation, headsets available on a first-come, first served basis.)
Los estereotipos prevalecen en la sociedad estadounidense. Estos estereotipos trabajan para perpetuar el racismo asociando con las cualidades negativas de personas de color y etiquetado esas cualidades como innatas. Este taller explorará los estereotipos raciales y cómo estos puede servir de base para las leyes penales y puede dictar cómo esas leyes son interpretadas por los tribunales y aplicadas por la policía. Examinaremos ejemplos históricos y actuales de estereotipos raciales, examinar el papel de los medios de comunicación en la "enseñanza" de estereotipos raciales y exploraremos ejemplos de leyes penales y casos de intervenciones como la Guerra contra las Drogas. (Ofrecido en inglés. Interpretación al español por medio de headsets disponibles de acuerdo al orden de llegada.)
In January of 2013 thirty young people ages 16-24 from across Seattle and South King County came together to form the King County Youth Advisory Council and begin advising and informing county-wide strategies, funding and practices. Their stories of survival, being pushed out of schools and systems, and being unemployed or underemployed, are putting a new face to the alarming statistics about the current state of youth (dis)engagement in King County. Come learn how the KCYAC is shaking things up and planning to break the cycle. They will share their personal and collective experiences, the story of their first project together, and their future plans.
Come and learn about early learning home visiting services. We'll discuss the aims and scope of the evidence-based home visiting programs available in King County, including eligibility criteria, a description of each model, and the geographic areas served by each program. You should leave this session with enough information about each program to make a referral and support families in understanding which program is right for them.
Learn how the King & Pierce County Public Library Systems and the Seattle Public Library provide a variety of early learning experiences for families and young children to help them be ready for school. The King County Library System and The Seattle Public Library offer Kaleidoscope Play & Learn Groups at several libraries in Chinese, English and Spanish. The Pierce County Library provides story times and Block Play at several libraries. Block Play assists in developing the understanding of math, science and literacy concepts needed to learn to read.
The Dilemma: Supporting Youth and/or Parents involved in systems. In this session you will understand your role as a "gate-keeper" and the importance of your role as a service provider to youth and families. You will also explore ways in which you can challenge the system without jeopardizing your integrity or employment.
Families with young children experience transitions daily and weekly, and with milestones or birthdays. We look forward to some shifts and others are stressful. Change can be even more anxiety producing when we have language or cultural barriers, traumatic experiences or developmental challenges. We’ll explore how to create positive transitions. Considering our multiple perspectives—the child’s, family members’, educators’, or providers’—is key. Communication, preparation, support, and connection can improve our chances for successful transitions. Join us to work on improving transitions for a particular child, classroom, program or whole system!
Participants will have the opportunity to hear firsthand how the Healthy King County Coalition reviewed several equity tools, models, and processes to arrive at an Equity Toolkit to guide their work group decisions and priorities. Examples from the Coalition’s Equity Toolkit will be provided.
