About youth profiles on our website

What are youth profiles

A profile is a strengths-based snapshot of a young person seeking lasting family connections.

It helps potential families, caregivers, and professionals get to know the young person beyond information in a case file by highlighting their interests, strengths, personality, goals, and aspirations. Every profile on our site is youth-led and, whenever possible, co-created with the young person to reflect how they want to be understood.

Profiles can take many forms, from brief written narratives to multimedia stories. In-Depth Profiles® is an Alongside multimedia project that empowers youth to speak directly to potential families and caregivers through videos, photography, and storytelling. Youth engagement specialists partner with young people to create profiles that elevate their voices and celebrate their strengths. Learn more about In-Depth Profiles.

Youth profiles are now behind a login.

To protect the safety and privacy of the youth we serve, profiles are visible only to vetted account holders. Licensed families anywhere in the country can apply for an account—a completed home study or foster care license is what qualifies you, not where you live. Learn more about this change.

Frequently asked questions

What does an account include?

What you can see and do with your account depends on your role.

• Washington families with a completed home study can view and inquire about youth, create a family profile viewable by caseworkers, and attend Adoption Consortium.
• Washington caseworkers can register youth and search family profiles.
• Families and caseworkers outside of Washington state can view profiles and make inquiries about youth eligible for out-of-state recruitment.

Who can apply for an Alongside Washington account?

To apply, Washington families need a completed home study. Families who live outside Washington state need a verified home study or foster care license and must be open to youth over 12 or with medically complex needs.

Anyone with an account can also learn more about youth through their In-Depth Profiles.

Why was the change to youth profiles made?

We’ve moved youth profiles behind a login to better protect youth safety, privacy, dignity, and consent. Public profiles can be copied, shared, or manipulated without permission, and youth deserve more control over who sees their images and personal stories.

Limiting access to vetted account holders also focuses engagement on licensed families and caseworkers who understand each youth’s strengths and needs. Learn more about this change.