They say that it takes a village to raise a child. While you might be a perfectly attentive parent who does all that you can to protect your children and prepare them for the world there are always going to be things that are out of your control and times when you cannot be there for them. That's when you want to know that you're living in a city that's doing what it can for those that are growing up there. From the time they're still in diapers to when they're applying for a job making vanity cabinets or applying to go off to school the Seattle local government is doing all that they can to make sure they are getting the best possible opportunities and experiences. One of the ways that they're doing that is through the Youth and Families Initiative.

There are four main things that this program is focusing on - childcare, racial disparities in education, the criminal justice system, and children's health. These are all areas where you want the community you live in to be strong when you need their support with your children. If you have signed them up for a girls hockey tournament and they get hurt or you cannot afford adequate childcare on your own than the City of Seattle wants you to know that they are going to be there to help you through it.

This initiative was first announced by the current mayor, Mike McGinn, during his inaugural address and he has since been committed to putting it into practice. The co-chairs are the Executive Director of El Centro de la Raza, Estela Ortega and the former mayor and deputy mayor, Norm Rice and Bob Watt. They have experience working with Brampton dentists to local community centers to help with every service having to do with youth and family. They believe that while there are many resources available throughout the city and surrounding community that there are still problems that have previously gone unsolved. They are drawing from everywhere from Spokane WA real estate listings available services to programs outside of America to find the right answers.

One of the main things that this initiative is doing is talking to people in the community. By engaging neighbors, families, teachers, and everyday citizens they are really able to get a picture of the issues that are affecting those living in Seattle. This is how they will know how to allocate money for child and family services in coming years. Nearly three thousand members of the community have participated in group workshops and meetings in the past year and are able to speak about everything from needing diapers to bullying in schools with people who can actually make a difference.