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The United Indians ICW-Foster Care Program is a Child Placing agency (CPA), located at Daybreak star cultural center in Seattle, WA.  The ICW foster care program is Licensed through DCYF regional licensing to assist Native American families who wish to become licensed to provide foster care.  Our program also assists Non-Native American families currently caring for native American children. 

The ICW-foster care program recruits, trains, licenses, and offers support to families caring for Native American children.  Our program offers supportive services to all families caring for Native American children who are in need of access to culturally specific services and training.

 

 

 

Foster Care Events March - June 2023
2023 Foster Care Info sessions. Click to download flier.

 

Foster Care Licensing

The UIATF ICW-Foster Care Program is a Child Placing Agency contracted by the state of Washington to license homes for Native children in need of out-of-home placements in King County and along the I-5 corridor. We work with caregivers throughout the licensing process and beyond, guiding them through the necessary training, paperwork, and other elements in addition to providing ongoing support. We provide one-on-one attention to each family to ensure that all needs are met. While we are always looking for more Native foster parents, prospective foster parents do not have to be Native providing that they are committed to keeping their foster child(ren) culturally connected. 

Interested in becoming a foster parent? See if you meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Are over age 21 
  • Have a valid driver’s license 
  • Willing to undergo three background checks 
  • Are committed to keeping Native children culturally connected 
  • Meet minimum income requirements 
  • Are up to date with all vaccinations 
  • Have time to complete the required training hours
    • 36 hours during the first three-year licensing period 
    • 30 hours during the second three-year licensing period 
    • 24 hours during all subsequent three-year licensing periods 

If you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent, contact us! We’ll be in touch.  

Foster care support, training, culture nights

We provide ongoing foster care support as well as licensing.  Our foster care program offers monthly foster parent training/ support group that focuses on issues that impact native American children in foster care.  United Indians also provides a family cultural night that is open to all community members, this event occurs in conjunction with foster parent training.  Children are provided with an opportunity to participate in cultural activities while foster parents participate in training that provides insight into the care of children placed in their homes, as well training hours towards annual DCYF Foster parent training requirements.  Foster parent training/ family culture nights occur monthly and provide a meal as well as activities such as drum group, beading, hand drum making, traditional medicine workshops, and many other cultural events.  Foster parent training is available both in-person as well as via zoom. 

 UIATF also provides cultural activities throughout the year (Buffalo harvest, spring powwow, youth drum group, etc.). Upcoming events will be updated on this web site.  

 

Contact Us

Matthew Sam-Thornhill

Office: (206) 285-4425
Cell: (206)681-7447

eMail: [email protected]