Parents for Parents: A Second Chance, A Stronger Future

Peer Support, Compassion, and Accountability Are Changing Lives in Grays Harbor

"I didn’t know how any of this worked. I just knew I wanted my son back." — Rachel, parent participant

A System No Parent Is Ready For

When Child Protective Services removes a child, everything changes. Parents suddenly navigate a complex system full of legal jargon, unfamiliar faces, and overwhelming expectations. Many are also grappling with addiction, trauma, mental health struggles, and the heartbreak of separation. There’s shame. Confusion. Deep pain.

Without help, many parents disengage, families fall apart. Reunification is delayed or never happens.

A Program Built on Lived Experience

But with proper support, something powerful happens: parents begin to hope again.

Parents for Parents connects parents in crisis with mentors who have walked the same road—and made it out the other side.

These mentors aren’t professionals in suits. They’re real people, moms and dads who once stood in the same courtroom, made real changes, and fought to reunite with their children.

"We are not therapists. We are not caseworkers. We are people who have been there." — Ann, Program Coordinator

Why We Support This Program

United Way Grays Harbor supports Parents for Parents because it strengthens not just individual families, but our entire community.

By funding this program, we help ensure families are reunited, supported, and stable. So children can grow up in loving homes, parents can contribute positively to the community, and cycles of trauma are broken for good.

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Rachel’s Story: Hope in Progress

Just over a year ago, I was sitting in jail, feeling completely lost. My house had been raided, and my son was taken from me. I was struggling with addiction and didn’t know how to navigate the court system or what to do next.

"I didn’t know how any of this worked. I just knew I wanted my son back."

Through Parents for Parents, I was connected with mentors—real moms and dads who had been through the same struggles. They didn’t judge me; they understood and showed me I wasn’t alone.

"I didn’t just get help. I learned who could help me and how. That changed everything."

The Dependency 101 class helped me understand the court process and the roles of the different people involved.

I chose to participate in Family Recovery Court and drug court, which gave me structure and accountability. That support has helped me stay clean and focused on my recovery.

I moved from supervised visits to monitored visits with my son and worked on parenting plans to rebuild a stable home.

"I’ve already been through it once without support, and I didn’t make it. This time, it’s different because I’m not alone."

Sharing my story in support circles has helped me find strength and courage.

"It’s not just about getting clean. It’s about learning how to be a healthy parent—how to change your life."

I want to help others in this way.

And when someone who’s been there says, “You can do this,” you believe it—because they did it.

Now, I’m closer than ever to being reunited with my son—and I know I’m not alone on this journey.

What the Program Offers

📘 Dependency 101 and 201 Classes: Plain-language courses that explain the court process, legal roles, and timelines. These classes answer questions many parents are too afraid to ask and show them exactly what steps to take.

🤝 Peer Mentorship Mentors attend court hearings, offer one-on-one guidance, and stay connected throughout the process, helping participants stay focused, supported, and encouraged.

🧡 Support Circles: Safe, judgment-free spaces where parents share, cry, learn, and grow together. These circles reduce isolation and build confidence.

The Impact: Real, Tangible, Life-Changing

Without support, the risks are clear:

• Parents can become overwhelmed and disengage

• Reunification is delayed—or doesn’t happen at all

• Children remain in foster care longer than necessary

• Generational cycles of trauma and addiction continue

With Parents for Parents, Those Outcomes Shift Dramatically:

✅ Reunification rates improve—A Phase II evaluation indicated that:

70% of parents who participated in the Dependency 101 class and received additional mentoring from Parent Allies reunified with their children, compared to 53% for those who did not participate.

✅ Parents engage more fully with their case plans

✅ Confidence and accountability grow

✅ Families begin to stabilize and heal

We support Parents for Parents because helping families heal and reunite is how we build a stronger, healthier community—one family at a time.