as of May 1, 2012 - Childhaven

In November 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded a $300,000 grant to Childhaven to
help us provide parenting training to more families. The three-year grant supports the expansion of free
parenting education to more Childhaven families (year two) along with fee-based training to any King
County family who wants to improve their parenting skills (year three). The Positive Parenting Program
(Triple P) is an international award-winning program backed by more than 25 years of clinically proven,
worldwide research. Requiring in-depth training now under way for Childhaven staff (year one), Triple P
is a flexible system of parenting solutions to manage behaviors today and prevent future problems before
they arise.
In February 2012, Harvard University chose Childhaven as one of the first two organizations in the
nation chosen to participate in its Frontiers of Innovation program, researching new ways of intervening
in the early learning processes of vulnerable young children.
The science of early childhood development shows that investing in quality early learning, social and
health programs yields healthy and capable children, strengthens families and supports economic
stability. The goal of Frontiers of Innovation in Washington is to use the research findings across the
state’s systems of early care and education, health, and child welfare and economic support to improve
the lives of young children.
Childhaven’s new association with Frontiers of Innovation will allow us to build up our body of proven
interventional techniques to break the cycle of abuse and neglect, expand our reach to more troubled
children and families, forge even stronger community relationships and continually improve our efforts
to heal the hurt and trauma that our children experience.
In the last year, 379 volunteers donated nearly 10,000 hours to help Childhaven remain a safe and
caring place for children. This critical use of trained, dedicated volunteers provides many more caring
hands in classrooms, at meal time, for birthdays and holidays and during project time.
“We make a wise investment in the future of our world when we care for children who’ve
been abused or neglected. Childhaven helps them develop into valuable members of our
society rather than becoming a burden on society in later years.”
Mitzi Aspiri, Childhaven supporter
CHILDHAVEN Successes and Opportunities 8