Foster Parents Struggle to Meet Needs of Foster Child

"Anthony" is eight years old and is in foster care in Wisconsin. He has been in 2 foster homes. His mom is incarcerated, and his dad is not active. His older sister visits with him virtually once a week. Anthony's foster care journey is like so many others. Unstable, bouncing from home to home. We share these profiles, hoping kind-hearted people like you can better understand trauma and what kids in foster care need from foster parents to heal.

Vulnerable children need Wisconsin foster parents to commit.

support for abused children in foster care
Previous foster families said his behaviors were too much. They needed more support than their foster agencies could provide, and both families expressed Anthony's need for therapy services. Although both families shared many beautiful qualities, they could not give the boy what he needed. It should also be mentioned that both foster families worked full-time hours with little to no flexibility to meet Anthony's needs. Neither was receiving the necessary support to succeed. 
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Foster parents need a foster agency that provides exceptional support.

Foster parents cannot do this work alone; children like Anthony need more than a loving family. They require more than basic parenting skills to heal from trauma. Foster parents must know how to care for kids with trauma histories. Proper training is essential. County agencies that refer kids to CCR trust we have the resources, training, support services, and staff to help kids like Anthony while supporting the families providing care.
CCR staff and families treat trauma. We help kids heal. Right now, we don't have enough foster homes.
 
Anthony has many beautiful qualities and characteristics. He also has numerous challenges that require more structure, consistency, and patience from foster parents.

He sleeps well, enjoys a variety of foods, and can be a charmer when not in fight-or-flight mode. He loves to play video games and enjoys playing in the bathtub. He likes to be helpful with simple meal prep and prefers to be in the company of adults. He misses his mother and asks about her frequently. He can visit with her virtually every week.

Foster children have wants and needs from foster parents.

foster care homes for kids
Former foster parents reported that Anthony does okay in school for the most part. However, both expressed concerns with social skills, listening, and creating disturbances but agreed that he is interested in learning. He continues to make progress with early reading and struggles with math concepts. He is not at grade level in any subject.
Anthony is a bright, intelligent, and funny boy. He has been diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, and PTSD. He often struggles with accepting directives and consequences. He continues to work on de-escalation and coping skills when triggered. He has shown progress in many areas.
Anthony reports wanting a family that won't yell and has too many rules. "I like video games, hugs, spy stuff, and chocolate." He especially likes ramen noodles and slushies and dislikes vegetables, smelly smoke, and mean people.
Anthony needs reminders to wait his turn and give others space. He often struggles when others get more attention than he does, which causes him to act out to gain attention. Providing structure, routines, and house rules will be beneficial for Anthony. 

CCR foster parents are prepared and supported to care for kids like Anthony.

Bouncing from foster home to foster home compounds a child's trauma. It isn't easy to heal and grow when moving between homes. CCR prepares foster parents to care for kids with trauma and heightened behaviors, and we provide many essential tools and resources to help kids like Anthony succeed. One of the many ways we support our families is by meeting with them weekly in their homes.
We ensure that services, therapies, and 24/7 support are in place.
worst foster care stories
 
We need loving homes with flexible schedules for kids like Anthony. A parent must be available for 2-3 weekly appointments and unplanned interruptions. Having a plan when kids are not in school is also essential. 
Sadly, we did not have the right foster home in the right location for Anthony. In cases like this, the referring county is left scrambling to find a foster home. 
Please contact us if you would like to learn more about becoming a foster parent with CCR.
 

How to Choose a Foster Care Agency

Let us help you explore how to become a foster parent in Wisconsin. When choosing a foster agency, the first thing to know is that it does not matter what county you reside in. The differences between agencies can be subtle at a glance, but when you learn the number one reason that makes CCR different from other agencies, the choice may be clear.

Choose a Wisconsin foster agency that keeps promises.

A team approach and promises kept are two reasons our families stay with CCR. 24/7 support is promised to all CCR families in all 60 Wisconsin counties that we serve. A friendly voice, not a recorded prompt, will answer your call during business hours. In addition, a Clinical Case Manager is always available to help in the evening or on the weekend. Each of our supervisors is also available to their team whenever needed. We promise outstanding support, and we are always available when our foster parents need us most.

One of the largest foster care agencies in Wisconsin.

CCR is one of the largest, most-respected foster agencies in Wisconsin. We currently have foster homes in 36 counties across Wisconsin and over 125 kids in care. Our foster parents can live in any of the 60 county locations we serve and receive round-the-clock support. CCR foster families are caring for kids in rural, urban, and suburban communities and receive weekly in-home visits by a highly experienced Clinical Case Manager. In fact, CCR is the only Wisconsin agency to provide weekly in-home support visits.

Becoming a foster parent requires asking the right questions.

A big factor in choosing the right agency depends on the age of the type of child you wish to help, their level of need, and what happens AFTER a child or sibling group is placed in your home. What will the agency do to support you and your foster children? Just because an agency is local in your home county does not mean that services will be plentiful and staff will be available.

Wisconsin foster parents deserve the promise of support services.

No empty promises here! We are very transparent about what foster parents should expect when they choose to license with us.

For 31 years, we have been providing our foster parents with outstanding support, above and beyond state requirements. Support services are why so many foster parents choose us and why they stay. The average CCR foster family fosters with us for a staggering 6.7 years! In the foster care world, that is impressive.

The first family to license with CCR back in 1996 is still fostering with us today! Dan and Colleen have been fostering teen girls for nearly 30 years. Why do they stay? Why don't they burn out quickly as so many foster parents do? We'll tell you.

Foster parents and foster kids need in-person support regularly.

County foster parents typically receive a monthly visit from their caseworker. Unfortunately, a lot can happen in a month. CCR foster parents know their Clinical Case Manager will visit every week and there will never be a revolving door of whom will visit. Employee retention is something we are incredibly proud of, and our average length of employment is 16+ years!

The in-home visits are designed to review the child's treatment plan, discuss challenges, get excited about the progress, discuss any weekly happenings, talk about behaviors, and much more. Case Managers spend each visit focusing on effectively supporting each family, including foster parents, biological or adopted kids, and most importantly, the foster children.

Foster parents depend on experience and higher education.

Every CCR Clinical Case Manager must have a Master's degree in Social Work. CCR is the only Wisconsin Foster Care Agency with this employment requirement. Our case managers' education and level of experience are critical if we want to promote a healing environment for foster children. Visiting the kids regularly means the kids have another adult to trust and bond with. A qualified professional to help meet them where they are and take the necessary steps to allow for healing from trauma histories to happen.

Here is a testimonial from Kayleigh, who spent time with long-time foster parents Dan and Colleen.

My foster parents, Colleen and Dan (with CCR for nearly 30 years), taught me so much about myself, and I am forever thankful. My case manager, Ms. Wanda (at CCR for 24 years), almost always said something I didn’t like. LOL. But all of those things that she said helped me shape how I want to live the rest of my life. I knew that the best way to fulfill my future was to work through my past and what I went through. They all helped me do that! These three people are the main reasons I am where I am in life, and it was the greatest gift I could have ever been given.

Foster parents cannot do this work alone.

We hear from county and private agency foster parents regularly who are interested in transferring their license to CCR. The common theme is a lack of support and communication. This week, a foster mom licensed with her county requested the necessary paperwork to transfer. She and her husband have been foster parents for four years and continue to be frustrated. The transfer paperwork was sent out immediately; she returned it the same day, and the county had already received the transfer request. That is how quickly it can happen.

Support, communication, and responsiveness are what foster parents crave. We take great pride in the attention we give each of our families. Our dedicated staff is truly grateful for the fantastic families on board. We treat each one with respect, and we are humbled by their years of dedication to kids in need. Supporting our families is a joy and a privilege.

If you are interested in speaking with us to learn more, please contact us.

 

 

 

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