New CCR foster parents begin fostering at the "basic" level of care, level 2. With time, experience, and additional training foster parents may choose to care for children with higher-level needs moving up to level 3 or 4.
All children placed in foster care in Wisconsin are assessed using the Child and Adolescent Needs & Strengths (CANS) tool. The tool is used to measure the well-being and needs of foster children. This tool provides our staff with much-needed information to determine the amount of care or supervision a child might need.
Every child is given a level of need based on their CANS score. The score is used to place a child in an appropriate foster home. The child’s level of need is used in conjunction with the foster parent’s level of care licensing to provide stability in placement and promote positive outcomes. Basically, a higher level of care license means you are able to care for youth with higher need levels.
During the first two years of fostering, additional training is offered to obtain the knowledge and licensure for foster parents to move higher levels of care if they wish. There will never be pressure applied to care for kids with higher-level needs. We know our foster parents need to feel supported and receive additional services to help children with trauma histories. We promise to give you all the support you need. Our 30 years of experience in higher-level foster care means we have the expertise to provide outstanding support services not found in most counties and other private foster agencies.
