Kaylie is an adorable 11-year-old girl in Wisconsin foster care. She has Jacobsen's Syndrome and autism and is described as a happy child. She was referred to us from a Wisconsin county foster agency in hopes of finding a treatment-level foster home to meet her higher needs. Kaylie was successfully placed in a loving home that could meet her needs. Here are some highlights about Kaylie:
Kaylie's diagnosis causes developmental delays and impaired cognitive development. She is primarily non-verbal; however, she can communicate her needs. She is enrolled in special education full-time and is currently in the 5th grade. She has struggled with school attendance in her last two foster homes, which has definitely affected her ability to learn. However, previous teachers reported that Kaylie does well when she consistently attends school.
It is reported that Kaylie arrives at school with a variety of moods. Some days, her behaviors are good, and learning goes well, but she can be angry, aggressive, and resistant to wearing clothes on other days. School professionals have oftentimes been unable to work with her on curriculum and have spent most days focusing on behavior management. She does well with call and response, mimicking activities, showing needs, and using visual schedules. Kaylie would benefit from at-home learning and reinforcement of numbers, letters, and shapes.
Keeping other students safe has been a priority as well as keeping her dressed. In addition, Kaylie has received one-on-one instruction and speech services.
Kaylie loves music, dancing, and singing. She enjoys making music by clapping, stomping, and using wooden spoons on a variety of containers. Dancing with a partner brings a huge smile to her face. Kaylie loves boxes! She will play for hours with empty cereal boxes and cracker boxes, filling, folding, and dumping things out again and again. Another favorite activity is flipping through magazines and books.
Kaylie does not like surprises, and she is resistant to change. A stay-at-home parent is required to foster Kaylie because of her higher needs. Foster parents should expect 2-3 support and therapy appointments each week. She is up to date on medical and dental appointments at this time.
Kaylie communicates her needs well using non-verbal skills. However, at times she can become easily frustrated and upset. A foster home will require a safe place for her to calm down. In addition, it will be important to modify the home environment with dim lighting, calming music, and soft surfaces. Kaylie can become physically aggressive towards foster parents and has been known to hit, kick, scream, and disrobe when upset. Previous foster parents report that by placing her in a calming environment, she can deescalate fairly quickly.
Visits with Kaylie's biological mother are on Thursday afternoons. Additional visits have recently started on weekends as part of the reunification process. Kaylie loves visits with her mom and gets very excited when she first sees her mother. The day after her visits, Kaylie struggles to wake up for school. It is not unusual for her to miss school on Fridays. All activities are a challenge when Kaylie feels tired.
Previous foster parents have recommended that Kaylie not be placed in a home with younger children. She requires too much attention and can be difficult to handle while tending to the needs of younger kids. In addition, there has not been any animal aggression, but to be safe, a pet-free home is preferred.
We understand that Kaylie is not the best match for most foster families. Her needs are high, and she requires constant supervision. Keep in mind that Wisconsin has different levels of foster care. Levels 2, 3, and 4. The higher the number, the higher the needs of a child. Kaylie is a level 4 child. This means that only CCR foster homes with experience, licensed at a higher level, can accept her placement. Kids like Kaylie are referred to us often. Sadly, we struggle to find loving homes because of the higher needs and the demands put on foster parents.
Interested in learning more about why kids are in foster care? Please take a minute to explore our website to find many answers to your questions. We would love to speak with you too. Call us anytime for a casual, comfortable conversation.
