Parents for Parents
Parents for Parents (P4P) is a mentoring and education program designed for parents involved in the child welfare system. To participate, parents must have a child who is at risk of removal or has been removed from the home by Child Protective Services. Parents who participate in P4P receive support from other parents (referred to as Parent Allies) who have successfully navigated the child welfare system in the past. Parent Allies connect with parents at the child’s initial placement hearing with the juvenile dependency court and provide ongoing resources and support with the goal of helping the parent navigate the child welfare system. Overall, the P4P program aims to increase the rate of safe and prompt reunifications, stabilize families, increase parents’ hope, and decrease trauma while parents are involved in the child welfare system.
P4P activities include court outreach designed to support parents before, during, and after court hearings; the distribution of resource information; a Dependency 101 class; ongoing contact and mentoring with parents; and an optional curriculum-based peer support group. During court outreach, Parent Allies meet with parents prior to or immediately following their child’s initial placement hearing and are also available to provide support to parents at later court hearings. During these outreach meetings, Parent Allies distribute information about available local resources, provide encouragement, and invite parents to attend a Dependency 101 class.
The Dependency 101 class is designed to provide parents with information, resources, and tips on navigating the child welfare system and the juvenile dependency court. The class includes a video about the child welfare system and the importance of engaging in services. Professionals involved in the dependency court (e.g., the assistant attorney general, parent lawyer, or social worker) explain their role and how they can help parents. After Dependency 101, Parent Allies use ongoing calls, texts, emails, and in-person contacts to provide mentoring, encouragement, and connections to resources (e.g., parenting or transportation support).
Local P4P programs may also choose to offer parents an optional curriculum-based peer support group, sometimes referred to as “Dependency 201.” Parent Allies lead this group with the goal of helping parents share successes and struggles to encourage and empower one another in their journey toward reunification or other permanency outcomes such as adoption or placement with relatives. Parent Allies may provide additional education and skill-building in areas such as navigating dependency, communication, family time/visitation, goal setting, and identifying resources.
P4P does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies of the program achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution.
Date Last Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Jul 2025
Date Program or Service Description Last Updated: Jul 2025
Date Originally Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Jul 2025
Sources
The following sources informed the program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information: the program or service manual.
This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, download the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0
Target Population
P4P is designed for parents involved in the child welfare system with one or more children who have been removed by or are at risk of removal by Child Protective Services.
Dosage
Parent Allies meet with parents just before or immediately following their initial placement hearing and are available to provide support at any later dependency hearing.
Dependency 101 is a one-time, 2-hour group class.
Parent Allies check in with parents through calls, texts, or emails between initial contact and the Dependency 101 class, ideally once a week. Parent Allies are also available for mentoring throughout the dependency process through in-person contacts, calls, emails, or texts.
Local P4P programs may choose to offer parents an optional curriculum-based peer support group (Dependency 201) if resources allow. When offered, this group may meet weekly or less frequently, as determined by local program leaders.
Location/Delivery Setting
Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings
Parent Allies deliver P4P in justice settings such as the local courthouse, at community organizations, and through calls, texts, or emails.
Education, Certifications and Training
Parent Allies must have prior experience in the child welfare system and have successfully resolved the issues that led to their child welfare involvement. Parent Allies receive initial skills training before they start working with parents through P4P. Topics covered in this training include professionalism and soft skills; boundaries; mandated reporter training; confidentiality; and roles and responsibilities during court hearing outreach, Dependency 101 class, and data keeping. The program encourages Parent Allies to receive additional ongoing training in areas such as domestic violence, anger management, cultural competence, substance abuse and mental health, childhood trauma and development, and early childhood education.
Program or Service Documentation
Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review
Children’s Home Society of Washington & King County Superior Court Parents for Parents Program. (2022). Parents for Parents: Program start-up guide.
Available languages
P4P materials are available in English.
For More Information
Website: https://akinfamily.org/services
Phone: (509) 440-3663
Email: P4P@akinfamily.org
Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.
| Results of Search and Review | Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Parents for Parents |
|---|---|
| Identified in Search | 2 |
| Eligible for Review | 1 |
| Rated High | 0 |
| Rated Moderate | 0 |
| Rated Low | 1 |
| Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm | 0 |
Studies Rated Low
Study 15367Trescher, S. & Summers, A. (2020). Outcome evaluation report for Washington state's Parents for Parents Program. Capacity Building Center for Courts. https://www.courts.wa.gov/CWCIP/docs/Parents%20for%20Parents%20Phase%20II%20Evaluation.pdf
This study received a low rating because it did not meet design confound standards.Studies Not Eligible for Review
Study 15366
Summers, S., Wood, S.M., Russell, J.R., & Macgill, S.O. (2012). An evaluation of the effectiveness of a parent-to-parent program in changing attitudes and increasing parental engagement in the juvenile dependency system. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(10), 2036-2041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.06.016
Wood, S., Summers, A., Russell, J., Macgill, S., & McClellan, J. (2011). PPCD research report. Evaluation of the Parent to Parent Program King County, Washington. Permanency Planning for Children Department, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. https://bettercarenetwork.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/Parents-for-Parents-Process-Evaluation-Final-Report.pdf
Summers, A., Macgill, S., Russell, J., & Wood, S. M. (2011). PPCD research report. Parent to Parent outcome evaluation. Permanency Planning for Children Department, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. https://www.uwcita.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Parent-to-Parent-Program-Outcome-Evaluation.pdf
Summers, A., Duarte, C., Wood, S. M., & Bohannan, T. L. (2013). JLP research report. Parents for Parents outcome evaluation: Additional examination of case outcomes & racial differences. Juvenile Law Programs, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. https://ncjfcj.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Parents-for-Parents-Outcome_Final-102213.pdf
Bohannan, T., Gonzalez, C., & Summers, A. (2016). Assessing the relationship between a peer-mentoring program and case outcomes in dependency court. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 10(2), 176-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2016.1155523
This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible comparison condition (Handbook Version 2.0, Section 4.1.7)