Sifting your way through blogs and websites about foster care can be overwhelming. Chances are you have read your fair share of personal stories and opinions from past and present foster parents. For every positive comment, you've read 5 horror stories. For every foster mom telling you to go for it, there are onlookers and disgruntled former foster parents warning you of the broken system. Who do you believe? How do you know if you have what it takes to foster? 
There are very few things in life we can be 100% certain of. If we're honest, we make decisions all the time with 80-90% confidence that things will go well or turn out for the best. Sometimes it is impossible to know everything before jumping into something new. This blog could list 100 things you should know before you welcome foster kids into your family and there would still be unanswered questions and doubt in your mind. It is normal, it is common, and it is expected. It's okay to be unsure.
We have foster care answers you can trust and experience you can count on to guide you down the right path. We understand that many people doubt they are cut out to be a foster parent. It is why we spend nearly 4 months preparing you to get a foster care license. Our staff wants you to be confident, excited and eager to help kids heal.
Foster parent training is one of the last steps to become a foster parent. In anticipation of classroom training, our staff will walk you through the paperwork, 4 home visits, background checks, references, fingerprints and a host of miscellaneous required items. When the application process is complete, you are ready to attend classroom training. 30-hours of a well-planned agenda with topics and discussions designed to prepare you to welcome kids to your home. Our 30-hour training covers the subjects below and more.
You cannot do this work alone. A supportive foster agency will be critical to your success. In fact, we hear from licensed foster parents on a regular basis that are frustrated with their chosen agency due to lack of support. These parents are exploring other options in the hopes of transferring to an agency like CCR that is known statewide for extraordinary support services.
Other Wisconsin foster agencies provide monthly or bi-monthly visits to their foster parents but we believe that weekly visits are critical for both foster parents and children. These one on one meetings are key in helping a child heal and in offering foster parents the support to be successful.
With exceptional low employee turnover, many of our foster parents have had the same caseworker assigned to their home for 10+ years. You can expect your Clinical Case Manager to answer your texts, take your late calls and share in your joys and frustrations. After hours, case managers are available through our 24/7 on-call hotline. Our entire staff works for the best interests of the foster children and foster parents.
Considering becoming a foster parent? Want to learn more? We are available to speak with you when you are ready to get answers to all your quesitons.
