Kaylie is a happy, busy 12-year-old girl in Wisconsin foster care. She has Jacobsen's Syndrome and autism. She was referred to CCR from a Wisconsin county foster agency in hopes of finding a foster family with a flexible schedule to meet her higher needs. Here are some highlights about Kaylie:
Over 55 children and youth are referred to CCR monthly from counties across Wisconsin. Some kids like Kaylie require a foster home with an at-home parent or very flexible work schedules to meet her needs, appointments, and demanding schedules. In this case, the foster home needed to be in a specific area of Wisconsin so Kaylie could continue supervised visits with her biological family.
Kaylie is primarily non-verbal but can communicate most of her needs. She is enrolled in special education and is currently in the 6th grade. She struggled with school attendance in her last two foster homes, which has definitely affected her progress and ability to learn. Previous teachers report that Kaylie does well when she consistently attends school.
Kaylie does well with call-and-response, mimicking activities, showing needs, and using visual boards. Most days, her behaviors are calm and learning goes well, however, she can get angry, aggressive, and resistant on other days.
Kaylie loves music, dancing, and singing. She enjoys making music by clapping, stomping, and using wooden spoons on a various containers. Dancing with a partner brings a huge smile to her face. Kaylie loves boxes! She will play with empty cereal boxes and cracker boxes for hours, filling, folding, and dumping things out repeatedly. Another favorite activity is flipping through magazines and books.
Creating a supportive home environment is crucial for Kaylie's well-being. She can become easily frustrated and upset, so having a safe space for her to calm down is important. Modifying the home environment with dim lighting, calming music, and soft surfaces can greatly contribute to her comfort.
Visits with the biological family are on Thursday afternoons. Kaylie loves visits with her mom and gets very excited when she first sees her mother. Kaylie feels tired the day after her visits and struggles to wake up for school. All activities are a challenge when Kaylie feels tired.
Previous foster parents have recommended that Kaylie not be placed in a home with children under age five. She requires too much attention and can be difficult to handle while tending to the needs of younger kids. Although Kaylie has not demonstrated any harm to family pets, a pet-free home is preferred.
We understand that Kaylie may not be a good match for most foster families due to her need for constant supervision. She is a level 4 foster child, indicating that she requires substantial care. Although we provide our foster parents with 24/7 support and weekly in-home visits, caring for a child like Kaylie is a lot and we understand the challenges it presents.
With over 55 referrals received monthly from counties across Wisconsin, there is a place at CCR for everyone who wants to help kids. The kids and youth referred to CCR are all ages and all levels of care. Many are siblings.
The great news is we found a loving, flexible CCR home for Kaylie! There will be others like her referred to us. If you are interested in caring for level 4 children, we would love to speak with you. Of course, we always need level 2 and 3 homes as well.
