We need compassionate people like you to say yes to kids in Wisconsin foster care. Our experienced team is ready to guide you through how to become a foster parent and prepare you to care for kids from difficult places. Dozens of kids from counties across Wisconsin are referred to us each month. As a statewide foster care agency offering local support, we need homes in ALL Wisconsin counties to place as many kids as possible in loving homes.
Our website has many resources to help you get started. The Frequently Asked Questions page has dozens of answers, and our Blog covers a range of helpful topics like How Are Foster Parents Matched with Children? and Can Foster Parents Choose the Age of the Kids? Our most popular resource is our Meet Our Kids blog, which highlights the real stories of kids referred to CCR.
If you meet the basic CCR foster parent requirements and feel ready to take the first step, please call or complete the Contact Us form. Our New Foster Parent Advisor has professional and personal foster parenting experience to help you get started. She will walk you through some finer details and answer all your questions. The initial paperwork will be emailed to you if you're ready to begin.
Upon receipt and approval of your initial paperwork, we will begin background checks and fingerprints. All foster parents in Wisconsin must undergo background checks to help ensure a child’s safety. Information will be requested at the county, state, and federal levels. In addition, backgrounds are checked with Child Protective Services. Most misdemeanors and many felonies will not prevent you from being a foster parent. However, it is always best to be transparent about any criminal history or past encounters with law enforcement.
A licensing specialist will conduct the first of several home visits upon favorable background results. The visits are casual to ensure applicants are comfortable with each step. Applicants are encouraged to be open and transparent throughout the screening process. Remember, we must follow numerous state mandates to license a foster home. Each step has a specific purpose for preparing you for licensure. In addition, we will guide you through the legal and safety requirements of preparing your home to welcome foster children.
All prospective foster parents will complete the required Wisconsin New Foster Parent Training. These trainings will help you build skills for caring for children who have experienced neglect or abuse and, as a result, may have elevated trauma and emotional or educational difficulties. CCR's New Foster Parent Training exceeds state standards and requirements, emphasizing trauma-informed care. As a result, new foster parents feel prepared and confident to care for children with trauma histories.
There is no cost to become a foster parent. While foster parents volunteer their time to care for foster children, a monthly stipend is provided to support the needs of each child. Read our most popular blog: How Much Are Foster Parents Paid?
At this time, your home study will be written, and a license will be issued. You are now ready to welcome children into your family and become part of a child's healing process!
Ready to begin or looking for more information? We promise to call you soon.