Teen in Wisconsin Foster Care Struggles to Find a Home

David has been in and out of Wisconsin foster care for five years. He is 14 years old. He is currently placed with a cousin struggling to meet his needs. Here is a bit of David's story:

Wisconsin foster parents need a flexible schedule

David, a 14-year-old boy, needs a foster home with at least one parent available or a parent with a highly flexible schedule. His journey has been challenging, having been diagnosed with depression, ODD, and ADHD. While he is not currently on medication, he is open to an assessment, believing it could be beneficial and help him with his emotions.

For David, a foster home with younger children and pets, particularly dogs, would be ideal. He enjoys the company of younger children and finds pets to be naturally calming. A home with these elements would provide a supportive environment for him.

Siblings in foster care are often separated.

David has two sisters who live with their grandmother in. The siblings have phone contact. Next month, there is a planned visit with grandma and sisters. He is excited for the visit and hopes it is not cancelled.

Several months ago, he was moved to live with his cousin for the second time. She is requesting the teen be transferred to a licensed foster home. The cousin is a single woman, working full-time. She is struggling with David's disrespect and unwillingness to follow the rules, which she attributes to their closeness in age. Although he has done well overall, the cousin is unable to provide the proper parenting and supervision that David needs.

Foster kids often struggle in school.

Schoolwork has been a struggle for years. David is in 9th grade and has an IEP. His cousin reports that David wants to attend school and often tries to do the required homework but needs assistance to complete assignments on time.

David has attended multiple schools in the last several years, making it difficult to make friends or build relationships. He likes to give the impression that he is "tough". In addition, the boy has a history of not taking responsibility for his behaviors. Instead, he will deny his involvement and blame others for his behavior.

More Wisconsin foster parents are needed for kids with trauma histories

David's story is not unique. Witness to unhealthy relationships, alcohol abuse, lack of proper schooling, separation from his siblings, and an incarcerated parent all create trauma, which means David presents emotions and behaviors that require consistent parenting, patience, and time to build trusting relationships.

Kids like David can thrive when a foster family can provide stability and structure! We've seen it hundreds of times with our CCR foster families. They begin to heal when the constant moving from home to home stops.

CCR is desperate for more families to become foster parents for kids like David. Learn how to become a foster parent in Wisconsin by calling us today.

*We did not have a foster home available for David, so the referring county continued their search for a home in the right location to meet his needs.

All identifying information are altered to protect the privacy of children.

 

Teens in Foster Care are Waiting

Another heartbreaking story of a teen in foster care. Meet Emily, a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl needing a new foster home. Her story is familiar; her trauma is prevalent. Yet, her wish for a loving home continues.

More foster parents are needed for teens.

Most Wisconsin foster kids ages 11-18 are placed in group homes or residential facilities. Older kids of the same age range and gender live together in a house with staff and 24/7 supervision. Sadly, these kids would heal best in a family environment. A home with a loving parent or two, possibly with other children, pets, and opportunities for healthy, structured family activities.

Emily lives in a Wisconsin group home, hoping to move to a loving, nurturing family home.

There are hundreds of teens in Wisconsin foster care without a home.

Dozens of teens like Emily are referred to CCR each month. Emily does not have contact with her biological family. She has one brother who lives with an aunt in southern Wisconsin. She also has a half-brother, but his location is unknown. In addition, Emily is a victim of severe neglect and prolonged sexual abuse by more than one individual. As a result, she struggles with not feeling worthy or loved and has difficulty forming healthy relationships.

Youth like Emily can thrive when placed with nurturing foster parents. With the right tools and 24/7 agency support, foster parents can see tremendous growth and healing with their children.

Too many kids in foster care have suffered from unimaginable neglect and abuse.

Kids like Emily come to us with a long list of challenges. Teens with significant trauma often struggle with emotions, behaviors, relationships, and academics. Our goal is to help them heal. CCR foster parents are trained to help kids like Emily who are challenged and burdened with a variety of diagnoses, such as:

Emily is engaging, willingly participates in household chores, likes animals, and loves younger children. Her favorite activity is baking cookies. She says she can't think of negative things when focused on baking. She is not fond of dressing up or polishing nails but prefers using her creativity to draw and paint.

Emily admits she doesn't like school and often does not try her best. She has few friends at school but gets along well with other girls in her group home. Yet, for all, she has been through, she has a positive attitude and wears a smile most of the time.

Less than 20% of kids will be placed in a loving home!

We were disappointed that we could not place Emily in a loving home. Unfortunately, we did not have the right home in the right location to meet her higher needs.

Emily will remain in her current group home until the referring county locates a home for her. On average, CCR receives 40-45 child referrals each month. Unfortunately, less than 20% of kids will be placed in a stable foster home.

We do not have enough foster homes, especially for teenagers like Emily.

Please get in touch with us to learn how you can get started.

Foster Parents With Little Kids Have Big Challenges

Becoming a foster parent requires serious consideration of the ages of foster children you wish to help. There is a large misconception that teens are horrible and little ones are adorable. That couldn't be farther from the truth in most cases. In the 31 years we have supported foster families; we see a repeated trend. New foster parents think they want to foster little kids but can quickly have a change of heart after actually doing it. Without agency support and a basic understanding of childhood trauma, foster parents can struggle to foster younger children. Let's explore:

Wisconsin foster parents needed to help younger siblings.

Two young brothers were recently referred to us by a county agency hoping to find a suitable foster home. Adam is five years old; he and his 6-year-old brother Aiden desperately need a foster family to meet their higher needs. The boys have been living with their maternal grandmother for five months, but she has expressed that she can no longer care for the boys long-term. She has reported being emotionally and physically exhausted. She hopes the county can find her grandsons a suitable home to handle and address their behaviors, delays, and emotions.

There is no family interaction plan at this time. Mom is not responding to the county worker, and other family members are unable and unwilling to care for the boys.Foster child with worried look on face

Aiden is in kindergarten. Adam is enrolled in a pre-K program. Both boys struggle socially with their peers, and neither is at age level developmentally. Aiden is more independent than Adam and can play alone for short periods. Adam struggles with independent play and craves individual attention. Adam has difficulty expressing himself due to a speech pediment and often expresses his frustration with anger and meltdowns. He is working with a speech therapist as it is difficult to understand some of his words and speech patterns.

Both boys enjoy being with other children but have difficulty reading social cues and respecting personal space. Adam is quick to interact with other children but often isn't included in play due to his assertiveness. His inability to play with boundaries has been a concern of the preschool staff. He is often redirected or given a task to divert him from a situation. He is a very energetic child and enjoys playing outside with Aiden and building with Legos.

Keeping siblings together is a struggle in foster care.

Aiden is a good listener and generally follows directions and expectations. He can play too rough with his brother at times but is sensitive to his brother's needs. He is behind in school but enjoys going. Both boys were drug-affected infants and suffered severe neglect before removal from the home. It is reported that Aiden has some memories of witnessing family violence and drug use.

It is important that the boys be placed together with older children or no other children in the home. Their need for individual attention would be difficult for a single working parent or parents with younger children in the house. A two-parent home is desired, ideally with one parent at home, to meet individual needs and Adams's constant desire for one-on-one interaction. The connection to their maternal grandmother will be essential to maintain. She has requested the boys be allowed to visit with her when possible.

The boys are similar to many other young siblings in foster care. Neglect and domestic violence have traumatic effects on developing minds, leading to behaviors and emotions that don't always make sense to the outside world. That is where trauma-informed parenting tools are essential. A recent post made by a foster mom on a social media feed resembles the needs and history of Aiden and Adam.

Foster mom takes to social media asking for help.

We've had our sibling set for three months now: a four-year-old girl (turning 5 in a month) and a six-year-old boy. Our foster son is in first grade, and we have struggled to find a suitable daycare or pre-k program for our foster daughter. She is needy, wanders, and struggles with attention. She has severe attachment issues. She is NOT like a typical four-year-old. She does NOT play with toys, EVER! She instead follows me around all day, sits on me, touches me, and asks questions I know she knows the answers to. She does things she knows she shouldn't be doing as soon as I turn away for a split second. I am not even a little bit overdramatic here either. My patience is wearing so thin.

I sit with her during breakfast, play with her after breakfast, color together, or work on some Pre-K stuff I've printed from home; I let her sit and snuggle with me for a little bit. I don't know what else to do! I encourage her to be independent, but she doesn't get it. She comes right back to me. I struggle to do dishes, laundry, or other chores. I understand she is little and has been traumatized, but this is hard! Even when big brother is home from school, he goes and plays...she still follows my every move. Please be kind with any advice, I am trying my best, and I do not want to disrupt this placement.

foster mom pulling at her hair frustrated

WOW! This struggling foster mom needs the support of a great agency and continued trauma-informed care training. In addition, her foster daughter would greatly benefit from a CANS evaluation. A tool designed to measure the strengths and needs of a child to get necessary support and therapy services. THIS is why many foster parents ask for kids to be removed from their homes. It is also why many foster parents transition to care for older kids. It is a lot. It is exhausting. It is VERY different than parenting well-adjusted children from stable, structured environments.

Foster parents need 24/7 support.

The fact is, she is not alone. So many foster parents caring for younger children are overwhelmed. Their agency often does not fully support them, and they are not trained in trauma-informed care principles. Fostering kids with trauma is NOT like caring for well-adjusted kids. These kids have a lot going on, and foster parents need to have the skills and tools to help their kids successfully.

There are hundreds of sibling groups like Aiden and Adam in Wisconsin foster care. Like the foster mom above, many foster parents share stories online and ask for much-needed advice and support. At CCR, we receive 40-50 referrals each month from counties across Wisconsin looking for a suitable home for kids like these brothers. If you are interested in fostering, we would love to speak with you. We will educate you, train you, and support you to care for kids with higher levels of trauma. OR, you can jump in and foster older kids if caring for littles isn't the best fit for you.

A Very Brave Boy in Wisconsin Foster Care

Jamal is a 10-year-old boy in Wisconsin foster care. He has been living with a CCR foster family for about a year. He and his little sister are doing well and developing solid relationships with the foster parents. Jamal was crushed that he did not see his mom over Christmas. He believes his mom is mad at him because of their conversation the week before. Here is a summary of what happened.

Being a foster parent means developing solid and unique bonds with children.

Jamal was disappointed that his mom didn't show up for their Christmas visit. He is afraid that she doesn't want to see him anymore because of something he told her. She blamed missing the visit on the weather, but Jamal is convinced his mom is mad at him. Jamal states his mom has a history of lying and not telling the truth. When she gets caught lying, she speaks more lies. When she is mad, she ignores people.

During the past year, Jamal has developed powerful feelings for his foster parents. He thought about talking to his mom about his feelings for a long time. He found the courage to tell his mom he wanted to be adopted by his foster family during a visit before Christmas. He told his mom that he believes he is in a better place with his new foster family and feels strongly his mom is not physically or emotionally able to care for him. What a brave, insightful young man! 

 

Kids in foster care are often stuck in the middle.

Jamal said his mom listened and didn’t get mad right away, but she was sad, cried, and hoped he would want to come home.

Jamal shared what he liked about being part of his foster family and compared that to life when he lived with his mom. He remembers not having much food and spending most of the time indoors. He said he didn't like living in a dirty house or staying up late. Several times, he fell asleep at school because he was so tired. Jamal also told his mom that he didn't understand why his mom and older sister were always locked in their bedrooms. He doesn't know what they were doing, but sometimes they didn't come out until the next day. As a result, he and his little sister didn't get to eat or brush their teeth.

He is very happy in his foster home because he gets to eat dinner every day, takes long showers, and doesn't get hit with things by his foster parents when they are mad.

Jamal reported to his case manager that his mom would spank him with different objects. In addition, he was told to lie if a man came to visit because the social worker didn't want the kids to see them. He spoke about having difficulty understanding why his mom falls asleep in the middle of talking, which she continues to do during their weekly contact.  He added that if he and his sister needed anything, his Grandma usually took care of it and not his mother. So much expression from such a young boy!

Foster children can experience an entirely new way of life.

In comparison, Jamal reported that his foster parents are nice and want him to do well in school and have schedules for eating and sleeping. He understands that discipline and rules are necessary for teaching him good behavior and that discipline is always done with love. He says he usually gets in trouble when he doesn't listen or fights with his sister, but his foster mom doesn't hit him. He likes going to church and feels connected to the entire foster family. He also likes how the family laughs and plays with him and his sister.

Recently, Jamal's case manager explained how family case decisions are made. He had questions about who would decide who he gets to live with. At ten years old, he clearly understands that considering permanency is complicated. He knows that his mom has requirements for successful reunification, which is different from just wanting him and his sister back. His case manager continues to be impressed by the boy's maturity and resilience.

Jamal said he felt good after telling his mom his feelings, and he feels ready to speak to the court, too, if he has a chance. He was glad his mom wasn't too mad at him, but he felt terrible that she was sad. The case manager explained the role of a GAL, Guardian ad Litem, to Jamal and how it would be beneficial to have a conversation with her ahead of the next hearing. He said that he would still like to have his mom and the rest of his family a part of his life, but he doesn’t want to go back to living with his mom and wants to stay where he is.

Foster mom was surprised by the conversation.

When Susan (foster mom) learned what Jamal told his mother, she was surprised. Susan was unaware that Jamal planned to speak with his mom about being adopted. She knew it had been on his mind for a while but thought it was too early to talk about it with her. Susan planned to follow up and talk with him to process how he felt. She added that it would be beneficial for Jamal to get therapy again. Susan also said Jamal doesn’t talk about his previous foster care experiences, but the GAL has commented that he seems much happier in their home than in past homes.

Susan received information that Jamal's mother has not yet completed her task to enroll Jamal in therapy and that now he may be put on a waitlist. The provider attempted to reach his mom by phone and sent paperwork two weeks ago with no return contact. Lack of response from the kid's mom is a continued problem.

Jamal's mother asked if the Christmas get-together could be rescheduled, but the foster family could not accommodate the request but suggested an alternative date in January. Jamal's older sister stopped by the house briefly after Christmas for about 15 minutes. The quick visit went well. The rescheduled January date did not occur because Jamal's mom reported having car trouble. She again asked Susan if another date could be arranged. Susan was hesitant because she didn't want her to be a "no show" again. They decided to wait until the next scheduled family visit to celebrate Christmas. Jamal questioned his mom's reason for canceling and said, "she always tells people she has car trouble."

Foster kids must know it is okay to talk about their feelings.

Jamal is anxious to see his mom in person to ensure that she isn't mad about him wanting to be adopted. He told his case manager that he was afraid she didn't want to see him anymore because of what he said. He said sometimes he wishes he didn't tell her. The case manager reassured him that his mom loves him very much and that it was ok to talk about our feelings.

Jamal has regularly scheduled meetings each week with his mentor. He will start karate in February, and it will run two nights a week for six weeks. He is looking forward to the class. Susan continues to work with Jamal on smooth morning routines. She also encourages Jamal to resist feeling that he is his sister's caretaker. This has been difficult for Jamal, but progress is being made.

Jamal is looking forward to the next scheduled visit with his mom and hopes she doesn't cancel or not show up again.

There are hundreds of Wisconsin children like Jamal who need loving foster parents. Qualify to become a foster parent and change a child's life like Jamal.

All identifying information are altered to protect the privacy of children.

 

 

Shocking Stories from WI Foster Parents with Young Kids

A Wisconsin foster parent is overwhelmed with toddlers in her care and reached out for advice on social media. Sadly, her feelings of frustration, exhaustion, and helplessness are common. If you want to become a foster parent to younger kids these testimonies may be a much-needed reality check. If you think younger kids are easier to foster than older kids these foster moms will give you lots to think about. These foster parent stories are real, raw, and honest.

After one week, foster parents want kids removed.

I think we are going to ask for our placement to be moved. I feel awful and never thought we would be in this position.

A week ago we took a placement with a 3 and 5-year old that the agency didn't know much about. The 5-year-old has nonstop tantrums all day long over everything and anything. The tantrums get physical pretty quick (hitting, kicking, biting, chucking things, and destroying the house). Although we have seen a tiny amount of progress in her, this is exhausting and I don't think we can handle it much longer. It is mentally and physically taking a toll on us and we are running on fumes.

Five foster homes in 6 months compound a child's trauma.

I feel your pain. We just took on two boys three and four, two weeks ago. One of them has non-stop tantrums and does exactly what you described. We try to sit with him in the room and completely ignore him and let him have his tantrums but know that he is not alone. During this time he will punch and head butt and kick and I will protect myself by moving him or standing up against the wall facing the wall and follow guidelines that I am allowed to do what I need to do to stop him from harming me or himself. My foster son has had 5 placements in six months. I believe he is taking back some control and before he is moved he is trying to take control and make us angry so that he gets to move again because that's what he's used to. That might not be it at all but this is some of the worst behaviors I have ever witnessed. I never imagined little kids could be so damaged. It is heartbreaking!

Our 4-year-old did this for the first 8 months we had him. He even climbed on my back and bit me many times. We would have to take everything out of his room and I mean everything except the bed. We recorded many of these episodes to show our caseworker. The caseworker finally agreed to get him an appointment with a doctor who diagnosed him with PTSD and ADD. They gave him medication to help control his behaviors and after a while we saw some improvement. We also got him into daycare for behaviors where he gets to work one on one with someone every day. He is still with us today and has been in our home for 2 years now.

The foster parents left her at daycare because they couldn't deal with her!!

11 months ago we got a 3 1/2-year-old boy that was the same way. He is still with us. He is much improved but still has a lot of room to grow. He ended up having a diagnosis of PTSD. It's been a long hard road but it's worth it and it's nice to see how much he's improved. It certainly wasn't easy and we considered giving up too early on. Now he gets several types of therapy and a lot of services and support including parent coaching for us and other things.

Our 4 yr old was like this and some other issues. He was diagnosed with RAD, mild autism, ADHD, and sound speech disorder! We have had him 14 months and I can say it’s been really hard! If it wasn’t for his therapist and our caseworker we would have given up. We also have his 2-year-old brother now for 17 months and he is one of the reasons we have pushed so hard to help him. The 2-year-old thankfully is just a normal terrible two which isn’t so fun, but we can handle it! Before us, the 4-year-old was in 5 homes in 4 months and left at daycare by two of the homes because the caseworker didn’t have anywhere to take him and they couldn’t handle it anymore. We are setting up child mental health therapy services and hope to get him the help he needs that we can't give him.

Temper tantrums and violence push foster parents to question themselves.

We’ve had our 6-year-old foster daughter for a month now. At first, the tantrums were CONSTANT. Now we’re down to 10-15 per day. It’s getting better and they’re getting shorter.

We took on a 4-year-old girl and 3-year-old sister and we felt the same. We have had them for almost 10 weeks now and have seen big improvements. I felt I couldn't do it at first. She was violent to her sister, screaming, turning the house upside down at least 4 or 5 times a day. We have constantly explained to her that this is now how we behave, lots of positive encouragement for the good things, told her to deal with her anger by scrunching her sheets in her room or blowing up an imaginary balloon. Spent a lot of time in her bedroom during the first few days. Timeouts (time in with me on the couch didn't work at all!) Please give it more time, it may get better quicker than you think.

My foster daughter now 7 was just like this, even included spitting in my face, throwing meals across the room, head butting me. It was horrible in the beginning. And still can be at times. I learned she was acting out because she couldn't express herself and it frustrated her to a point of anger, the only emotion she knew. After several months of OT and counseling, and a lot of patience and one on one time, she's doing so much better. It's not an instant fix and takes a long time but the bond you build with these kids is amazing. I know it's exhausting! Hang in there if you can. With the proper services, it will get better.

Hate and anger are all her foster children knew.

I have 2 kids of my own 8 and 12 and now I have 3 foster kids. They're 3, 6, and 10. They've come from a violent drug-fueled home. Hate and anger are all they know. I still have my days where I don't know how I'll handle it but I know we have so much love to give and things to teach them. All 3 are in therapy and we have not had any crazy tantrums in a couple of months. I feel like we are working through and making progress. Fight for them to get the services they need. We still struggle and days are not always easy but it is so worth it.

Foster parents have a choice. Foster kids do not.

I am a former foster child. In my biological home, I was taught that whoever screamed the loudest and whoever could physically dominate everyone else, was the boss. If you’re looking for only sweet, well-behaved children with no problems, fostering may not be for you. I’m not saying things can’t or won’t change, but it takes, TIME, PATIENCE and CONSISTENCY. If you are able to stick with it, I promise, the payoff is huge!

If you choose not to stick with it, thank you for your honesty and courage. Whatever you choose, make sure you’re sure. You have a choice, the foster kids do not. You may think you’re hiding it, but kids know when you have one foot out the door. They won’t tell you in words, but I promise the behavior will worsen. Thank you for the honesty and vulnerability of your post.

WOW! This is a reality for so many foster parents. Childhood trauma is real and tragic. Although we don't place many kids under age 5 here at CCR, when we do, these are the behaviors we see. The school-age children we place have similar trauma histories and if they have never gotten therapy services, mental health support, or been in a foster home with qualified & trained foster parents, the road can be very difficult.

We are happy to speak with you about different age groups and what fostering may look like for you and your family.

How Does Trauma Affect Kids in Wisconsin Foster Care

Children in Wisconsin foster care have experienced at least one traumatic event. Significant loss, abandonment, neglect, and abuse are a few. Our goal is to help Wisconsin foster children heal from childhood trauma while in the care of loving foster parents in a stable home environment. Our foster parents are trained to use trauma-informed care principles to help children on a path to healing.

How does trauma affect kids in foster care?

Trauma is an emotional response to an extreme event or exposure to multiple events. Young and older foster children display various emotions and behaviors not easily understood. Caring for kids with trauma histories requires foster parents to meet additional qualifications to become foster parents. Parenting kids with trauma histories can be challenging, but kids can heal with dependable support services. Traumatic events may include:

In addition to the above, entering foster care means being removed from family, friends, and school. Living with strangers and moving from home to home can be very traumatic. CCR provides opportunities for kids to heal while in a CCR foster home beyond what other foster agencies can offer.

Wisconsin foster parents witness a variety of behaviors and emotions.

Trauma can affect children’s behavior in ways that may be confusing or distressing for foster parents. It often impacts the long-term health and well-being of a child. However, foster children can heal and thrive with understanding, care, and proper treatment (when necessary).

School-age children may exhibit:

Teens in Wisconsin foster care are at high risk of mental health diagnoses.

Our greatest need is foster families wishing to help sibling groups, kids over age eight, and teens. Helping a teen in foster care prepare for adulthood can be very rewarding. Many teens in foster care experience growth and healing simply by living in a loving, family environment. In addition, structure, accountability, and healthy relationships contribute significantly to the healing process.

Teens placed in CCR foster homes may exhibit:

CCR kids all have a treatment plan to address trauma histories. Timely, effective cognitive and behavioral health interventions help in the following ways:

How to help foster kids with trauma histories.

Identify trauma triggers. It is essential to watch for patterns of behavior and reactions that do not “fit” the situation. What distracts the child, makes them anxious, or results in a tantrum or outburst? Help the child avoid situations that trigger traumatic memories until more healing has occurred.

Be emotionally and physically available. Some traumatized children act in ways that keep adults at a distance (whether they mean to or not). Provide attention, comfort, and encouragement in ways a
a foster child will accept.

Respond, don’t react. Your reactions may trigger a child or youth who is already feeling overwhelmed. When a child is upset, do what you can to keep calm: Lower your voice, acknowledge the child’s feelings, and be reassuring and honest.

Listen well. Don’t avoid complex topics or uncomfortable conversations. (But don’t force children to talk before they are ready.) Taking their reactions seriously reassures them that what happened was not their fault.

Be consistent and predictable. Develop a routine for meals, playtime, schoolwork, and bedtime. Prepare your child in advance for changes or new experiences.

Be patient. Everyone heals differently from trauma, and trust does not develop overnight. Respecting each child’s course of recovery is essential.

Encourage self-esteem. Positive experiences can help foster children recover from trauma and increase resilience.

Contact us today to become a foster parent with CCR and help kids in your community heal.

*Some of the information in this blog was taken from the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Providing Respite Care for Wisconsin Foster Parents

girl at zoo

If you desire to help foster kids but cannot commit to full-time foster care, providing respite care might be the perfect way to get involved. Respite providers give CCR foster parents a break for a few hours, overnight, or a few days. Being a certified respite provider to one or two CCR families is a great way to get involved and help kids in Wisconsin foster care. 

Respite care gives foster parents a much-needed break.

All parents need a break from time to time. Because of the higher emotional needs and behaviors of many kids in foster care, foster parents need an occasional break. Using a certified respite provider allows foster parents to take time for themselves. Foster parents can look forward to respite care as it is typically scheduled in advance, working with the availability of the respite provider. It is up to both parties to decide on days, times, and locations.

Using respite care regularly allows for dependable relationships to be formed. The children need consistent care because it will enable them to develop a healthy relationship with the provider and look forward to time spent together.

Foster children enjoy spending time with respite providers. 

Respite care can be provided in the foster home or the respite home. Respite can be for a few hours or a weekend, whatever foster parents feel they need to recharge their batteries. While many respite providers plan outings to a park, community pool, movie theater, or local restaurant, others may prepare a child's favorite food or watch a new movie with popcorn. It is a beautiful opportunity for the kids to get a break from their foster parents and enjoy different interactions and surroundings.

Respite care provides safe interaction with another trusting adult.

As much as foster parents need a break from their kiddos, kids also need some time away from their foster parents. A consistent respite provider allows the kids to build relationships with another stable, trusted adult. Many foster children look forward to sleeping over at a respite home and enjoying a change from the everyday routines of foster family life. Much like biological kids enjoying a night with a babysitter, foster kids also want a change of scenery.

Respite providers are not required to have a designated bedroom for foster kids. Having kids sleep on the couch, futon, or inflatable mattress is okay if the child is comfortable and safe.

All CCR foster parents receive paid respite time. 

CCR strongly supports self-care by generously giving all of our foster parents paid respite time. Each child placed in the home receives two monthly respite days and a one-week vacation annually. For example, if two foster children go to respite for the weekend, Saturday morning through Sunday late afternoon, CCR will pay the respite provider for two full days of respite for each child. If a respite provider cares for a child for an afternoon, CCR will pay the provider for a half-day respite. 

CCR is currently paying a higher rate to respite providers that wish to help families caring for multiple teens. 

Providing respite care is a great way to learn more about fostering.

When Tim and Karen first considered becoming foster parents, they could not meet the requirement of a flexible schedule. Both worked full-time and had very little flexibility with their employers. Fostering full-time wasn't compatible with their schedules. They were disappointed at first, but they were eager to learn more after learning that they could get involved in another significant way. They knew there was a need for more foster homes in Wisconsin but had never heard of respite care or what it meant for foster parents. 

Ultimately the Wisconsin couple felt it was something that made sense for them. They wanted to develop relationships with foster kids and help those dedicating their lives to foster care. Within two short months, they were certified to provide respite care. Tim and Karen have been able to help a family near them with their two foster sons, ages 10 and 13. They say it is just the right amount of time to give each month, and they are happy to get to know the boys more each visit.

CCR foster parents across Wisconsin need respite. Contact us to see if we have a need in your county or hometown. 

WI Foster Parent Training – Diversity is Welcome

Foster parent training classes are required and critical to gaining the tools necessary to be a successful Wisconsin foster parent. Training is designed to be informative, engaging, and thought-provoking. Most importantly, our foster parent training teaches trauma-informed parenting skills. New CCR foster parents come from counties across Wisconsin with diverse backgrounds to learn and prepare themselves to welcome kids with trauma histories into their homes. Training is where the foster care journey begins to feel real.Ready to be a foster parent

Foster parent training is important, even if you have parented.

CCR offers new foster parent training opportunities 5-6 times each year. The curriculum allows for each prospective foster parent to participate at a level they are comfortable with. Sharing is encouraged, questions are welcome, and participation almost always increases as training continues, creating an open, honest learning environment for everyone. Because each class represents a diverse group, attendees quickly realize that learning from the experiences of others is just as important as learning from the class presenters.foster parent training video

A typical training consists of 10-12 people from counties all over the state of Wisconsin. Our most recent class came from the following counties:

"We weren't sure at first if we would have what it takes to foster. After speaking with Jane, she made us so comfortable, answered our questions and gave us so much information. It just felt right. "

Many cultures, lifestyles, family make-up, and experiences are represented in foster parent training.

Many prospective foster parents are married couples, and some are single foster parents. In addition, LGBT foster parents and previously retired foster parents who have decided to give fostering another go are in attendance. It is through this diversity that classroom engagement exists. If foster care requirements are met, CCR welcomes all adults over 25 years old to apply and begin the steps to become a foster parent.

Diversity among the group means we can serve a diverse population of kids.

This was a recent group; the diversity was fantastic:

"I grew up in foster care and was adopted. I feel like I know what they might be going through or at least I know how I felt when I was in their shoes." 

Most classes have similar characteristics and family structures, thus creating great dialog and participation among each prospective foster parent. However, if you are exploring becoming a foster parent, please know that one size does not fit all. No matter your background, race, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, culture, etc., CCR would love to speak with you about treatment level foster care and what it might look like for you and your family.

We welcome everyone to explore our foster care frequently asked questions page and find answers to most of the questions you are looking for. We then welcome your phone call or email to inquire further and get more details on fostering children with significant trauma.

Please call us at 800-799-0450

 

GET YOUR FOSTER LICENSE IN 100 DAYS! Homes for kids 10-18 are desperately needed.