Alaska Office of Children's Services

**Office of Children's Services: Mission, Vison, Guiding Principles and Values** **Mission** Ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children by strengthening families, engaging communities, and partnering with Tribes. **Values** Safe children, strong families **Guiding Principles** **Safety** Every child has the right to be safe. Family: Children remain in their home whenever safely possible. **Family** Children remain in their home whenever safely possible. **Strength** Families have specific strengths and cultures that are valued. **Connection** Children need lifelong connections to their family, community, and culture. **Permanency** Foster care is temporary; every child deserves a safe and permanent home. **Well-Being** Empowerment is central to the well-being of children and youth. **Community** Community partnerships are essential to engaging and supporting families. **Tribes** Tribes and OCS have a respectful government-to-government relationship. **Core Values of an effective workforce** **Hope** *Motivates Us:* We anticipate success. We are strengths-based organization. We support and empower people on their journey to success. **Integrity** *Directs Us:* We are trustworthy. We are reliable, authentic and loyal. We do what we say we will do. We have the courage to do the right thing. **Respect** *Guides Us:* We honor all people. We value the intrinsic dignity and worth of all people. We treat others the way we want to be treated. **Empathy** *Leads Us:* We seek to understand. We work to listen and understand the unique perspectives and feelings of others