Fathers Matter
Help for fathers who have children involved with Child Protective Services
Your child is in crisis and needs you! You may be the one to make the situation better for your child. Use this information to help you understand how you can be there for your child. Your child is worth it. You have what it takes to make a difference!
Advice from other fathers who have gone through what you now face:
- Focus on your children
- Be teachable
- Things will get easier with knowledge. Gather information to learn as much as possible
- Communicate with your attorney, caseworker, and other players involved in the case.
- You don’t have to be nice, but be assertively kind
- Control yourself and your stress. You can’t control other people or the situation but you can control how you respond to this challenge.
Each office has a father advocate who can give you information:
- Working with the Child Protective Services social worker
- How to get your child returned
- What to do if you run into problems with the social worker
- Helpful tips in working with the social worker
- Who are all the players in this child welfare system and court
- Legal terms and what they mean
- How to establish paternity and why it is a good thing
- Information about Juvenile Court process
- Your rights as the father
- Information about the case plan and how you can be part of it
- Tips on visiting with your child
- Taking care of your stress
- Father Resource Guides
(see the other side for the father advocate assigned to the office where your case is open)
Office Father Advocates
Island County/San Juan County:
Trace Prael, Oak Harbor Office & Friday Harbor Office, 360-679-7187
Snohomish County:
Jay Larson, Lynnwood Office, 425-673-3121
George Nelson, Smokey Point Office, 360-651-6942
Andy Clark, Everett Office, 425-339-4768
Sean Aust, Sky Valley Office, 360-805-3014
Skagit County:
Tony Del Pozo, Mt. Vernon Office, 360-416-7258
Whatcom County:
Tony Loya, Bellingham Office, 360-527-2513
King County:
Ponce Durr, Martin Luther King Jr. Office, 206-760-2359
Larry Nelson, Office of Indian Child Welfare, 206-923-4848
Micah Kurtz, Kent Office, 253-372-5953, KURTZMJ300
David Richards, White Center Office, 206-716-2410
Anibal Ruiz, Bellevue Office, 425-590-3047, RUAN300
Stephen Vanderhoef, King-West Office, 206-691-2538
Charles Smith, King-West Office, 206-691-2382
If your child’s case is not in one of the above offices contact:
Jonah Idczak, Father Engagement Specialist, 206-691-2366