Karen, Winnebago County
CCR is on the leading edge of trauma-informed care. That is so important to us.
Matching foster children and youth with Wisconsin foster parents is a thoughtful and deliberate process designed to help children heal and foster parents succeed. At CCR, every placement is carefully made and doesn't happen overnight. Planned placements take time to ensure children can heal and families can thrive.
Brian Sullivan is responsible for placing foster children in the best available home possible. Brian has dedicated over 26 years to CCR and our foster families. Our foster parents appreciate his thoughtful planning when matching children. Each child and sibling group referred to CCR is unique, reflecting the diverse needs and trauma levels of the children in foster care.
Learn more from Brian:
I am the primary contact for our contract counties and agencies that want to refer a child or sibling group for CCR foster care services. When a county agency needs to place a child outside its county due to resource limitations, it contacts me.
My primary responsibility is collecting comprehensive information about the child, including their requirements, history, and trauma history, to find the most suitable CCR foster home. I carefully assess the pool of available foster parents to make the best possible match based on my understanding of the child's needs and our foster parents' strengths.
Some things to consider are:
CCR receives 30-40 referrals monthly from counties and tribes throughout Wisconsin. However, we can place only a small percentage of those children, primarily because we need more licensed foster families. Despite our efforts, including those of other team members, we often don't find a suitable match, and the referral is returned to the referring agency.
The difference between basic county-level foster care and treatment-level foster care lies in the level of service provided to the child and the foster family. For instance, a child in a county foster home may not receive necessary support services, or foster parents may not receive the additional support they need.
A county worker may visit the house once a month, whereas at CCR, we visit each week to ensure our foster parents receive much-needed support and access to resources. In addition, we have a 24/7 on-call help line for our foster parents.
In recent years, we have noticed an increase in sibling groups displaced from their family homes. Finding homes for teenage girls and boys is also our biggest challenge. Many new foster parents are hesitant to foster older kids, but our experienced foster parents find older youth less challenging than younger children.
Regardless of the ages and behaviors of the children placed, our foster parents must adhere to strict flexibility requirements. Foster parents should be available for multiple appointments and interruptions during the week.
When foster parents are open to different types and ages of kids, they can have unique experiences. While CCR needs homes for kids of all ages, the greatest need is to find foster homes for young sibling groups and teenagers.
It's challenging to find one family that can accommodate a sibling group of 2, 3, or 4 kids, both logistically and practically. At the same time, finding homes with flexible schedules to provide the supervision teens need is also challenging.
We respect the family's choice and never push them either way. Remember, the decision is theirs, and I won't make it for them.
I work closely with the potential family to arrange a pre-placement visit, which typically includes overnight or weekend stays. These visits allow foster parents to meet the child and gather as much information as possible to decide whether to pursue the placement. The visits also support the transition process by giving the child some knowledge about the family before joining them.
The foster family can always accept or decline a child. I strive to provide all available information to help them make the best choice for their family. A placement can last anywhere from 6 to 24 months and often longer. I work closely with the referring agency and county worker during this time to ensure we communicate effectively.
The support and guidance our team provides during the decision-making process help instill confidence and security in foster parents. This is a serious process, and we do not take it lightly. Our families must feel they have received all the support they need. Once we make a placement, our commitment to providing 24/7 support starts right away.
We understand that fostering a vulnerable child or sibling group can be complex and challenging. Many foster children come from difficult backgrounds and have heightened behaviors and emotions. These emotional and behavioral challenges require ongoing management and can be challenging for both the child and the foster parents.
Because our Clinical Case Managers are in the home weekly and offer 24/7 phone support, breakdowns and disruptions are often avoided.
Older children are encouraged to speak with their Clinical Case Manager. The CCM, in turn, typically talks with the youth and the foster parent to understand where the placement is breaking down and implement steps to rebuild those areas. Well-planned meetings focus on finding solutions and strategies to address the situation and resolve placement problems while considering the child's best interests. A 30-day notice to move the child may be unavoidable if this doesn't work.
Can I adopt my foster children?
CCR foster parents do sometimes adopt children in their care. However, the goal of foster care is most often reunification.
CCR does not place children who are already legally free for adoption. Parental rights may be terminated while a child is in placement, but referrals to CCR are not made after termination of parental rights.
CCR is committed to improving the outcomes of all the children and youth placed in our care. Our dedicated, compassionate team members, with decades of field experience, work closely with foster parents and county agencies to provide each child with the most suitable, safe home.
If you want to learn more about CCR and becoming a foster parent, please get in touch with us anytime. We are glad to answer your questions and provide more details.
