Join the Juvenile Rehabilitation Ombuds for our first community meeting. Learn more about the Ombuds program and share any concerns you would like brought to our attention.
Date: March 31, 2026
Time: 6 pm
Location: 6840 Fort Dent Way, Suite 125, Tukwila, WA 98188
Attend virtually by clicking here. (Teams Meeting ID: 249 336 754 832 07, Passcode: VM33JQ7a)
The Washington State Family and Children’s Ombuds is an independent and impartial office that helps citizens navigate Washington state agencies serving children, youth and families. The Ombuds also investigates complaints about a Washington state agency’s actions or conduct that involve:
When a complaint issue is substantiated, the Ombuds intervenes to correct a violation of law or policy, or to prevent harm to a child or family. Additionally, we identify system-wide issues and recommend appropriate changes to improve outcomes for children and strengthen families.
The DCYF Oversight Board has a new website. Visit them at: https://dcyfoversight.wa.gov
The Ombuds investigates complaints about a Washington state agency action or failure to act in cases involving:
How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Yordanos Gebreamlak is a social worker with wide-ranging experience in the nonprofit as well as the public sector. The majority of Ms. Gebreamlak’s experience has involved work with individuals navigating multiple systems, including child welfare, education, housing, and the juvenile legal system. Prior to joining the Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds, she worked as an ombuds and later as the deputy director in the Office of the Education Ombuds.
Ann Chae is a LSWAIC with extensive experience in community social welfare within Washington State. Prior to joining OFCO, Ms. Chae served as an investigator with DSHS, where she investigated allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation involving vulnerable adults. She also previously worked as a tribal social worker with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and as a social service specialist with DCYF where she supported families involved in Child Protective Services and Child and Family Welfare Services. Ms.
Kayla Elladae serves as an Ombuds for Juvenile Rehabilitation facilities. Prior to joining OFCO, she worked as an Ombuds for the Special Commitment Center, addressing concerns related to individuals in civil commitment. She also has experience as a program evaluator at the Kaiser Permanente Health Research Institute, where she focused on evaluating health programs and services. She holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University.
Deborah Lurie is a licensed attorney with experience representing parents and youth with the King County Department of Public Defense. In that position, she represented clients in Dependencies, Terminations, Involuntary Commitments, At Risk Youth, Child in Need of Services, Truancy and Juvenile Offender cases, as well as adult misdemeanor and felony proceedings. Ms. Lurie graduated from Franklin and Marshall College and earned her J.D. at American University Washington College of Law.
The quickest and easiest way to make a complaint to the Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds is through our website at OFCO.WA.GOV
If you need assistance, you can call our office at 206-439-3870.
You can also mail a complaint to:
The Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds
6840 Fort Dent Way, Suite 125
Tukwila, WA 98188
The Ombuds investigation focuses on the actions and conduct of the state child welfare agency. For example, the Ombuds does not go to a family’s home to investigate an allegation of child neglect, rather the Ombuds would review the actions of Child Protective Services to ensure CPS had responded appropriately to an allegation of child neglect.
The Ombuds collects and reviews information and evidence from the complainant, state agency staff, and other sources and reviews relevant laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. Once all the information and evidence is collected and analyzed, the Ombuds determines what happened and whether the state child welfare agency followed state laws, rules, and agency policies. If the allegations in the complaint are substantiated, the Ombuds will make recommendations to the state agency to resolve the complaint.
Yes. State laws require the Ombuds to maintain confidentiality of all matters under investigation, including the identity of the complainant, unless disclosure is necessary to enable the Ombuds to carry out duties and to support recommendations. The Ombuds may not disclose confidential records obtained from an agency.
If you feel the Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ conduct is harmful to a family, child, or individual residing at a Juvenile Rehabilitation facility, and inconsistent with laws and policies, please submit a complaint. While we encourage everyone to try to resolve their concerns directly with the state agency involved, you are not required to exhaust other procedures before submitting a complaint to the Ombuds.
The Office of the Family and Children’s Ombuds investigates complaints about the actions or conduct of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. Examples of complaint issues include, but are not limited to:
The Ombuds does not investigate complaints about court cases or decisions, CASA/GALs, law enforcement, attorneys, or child welfare agencies outside of Washington State.