CCR serves children in foster care who have increased emotional, behavioral, or social needs due to trauma histories. Most children are ages 4-18, and many are sibling groups. Our kids and teens are served in highly supported foster homes where they receive weekly interaction with compassionate, professional staff. Our dedicated foster parents offer their kids structure and stability in a home environment where growth and healing can happen.
Each child has an emotional, personal story with different levels of trauma tied to their past. Emotional problems in youth range from mild to severe, and no two kids are alike. CCR is proud to be on the cutting edge of treatment programs for kids and adolescents. Our foster parents use trauma-informed care principles to help kids make enormous progress in their growth and healing.
A wide range of emotions and behaviors develop when a child is abused or neglected for extended periods. To make sure a child is placed in the best home possible, we must first assess their level of need. Wisconsin uses a tool commonly known as CANS to do this assessment. Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment Tool. CANS is a scoring tool that determines a child's level of foster care. All prospective foster parents need to understand the different levels of Wisconsin foster care.
Traumatic events may include:
Trauma is an emotional response to an extreme event or exposure to multiple events. One of our most crucial foster parent requirements is a flexible day-to-day schedule. Foster children need a parent home when they are not in school to provide a stable, predictable environment. It is difficult for two working parents, working 8-5, or a single person working full-time to be treatment foster parents. We are happy to discuss flexibility requirements with you.
Entering foster care means being removed from family, friends, neighbors, and school. Subsequently, kids are often moved in and out of foster homes while in foster care. We hope that when a child is placed in a CCR foster home, it will be the last or only foster home the child will be in. If children cannot reunite with their biological families, CCR foster parents are often a resource for adopting a foster child. Adoption takes place in less than 18% of placements.
It takes consistent parenting skills, supportive school staff, and routine therapy to successfully care for children with trauma histories. All CCR foster homes receive weekly home visits and bi-weekly school visits to support both parent and child. In addition, CCR provides continuous training for foster parents so they are equipped to help children in their care.
To learn more about some of the kids in care, read our foster child of the week blog.
We want you to be informed, comfortable, and confident in your decision to open your heart and home to foster children. We encourage you to call us to learn more.
