Foster Care
Every
day foster families in Wisconsin
make an incredible difference by providing safe and caring homes for
children living in foster care. Family
foster care and treatment foster care are designed to be temporary
placements for children when their parents cannot care for them.
Over 5,100 foster homes across the state care for almost 8,000
foster children each year. There
is an ongoing need for foster parents, especially those who can care for
sibling groups, teenagers and children with disabilities.
Counties,
tribes and private agencies license foster parents in
Wisconsin. To inquire about becoming
a licensed foster parent contact the foster care coordinator in
the county you reside in. Counties
have a variety of resources available to support families caring for
foster children. Foster
care coordinators in each county are available to answer any
questions you may have about becoming a foster parent.
A foster care coordinator or other case worker in your county will
work with you throughout the process of becoming a licensed foster parent
and having a child placed in your home.
In addition, every county has a 24-hour on-call worker in case of
emergencies.
In 2005 Governor Doyle’s Kids First Initiative included the Department
of Children and Families contracting to open the Foster
Care and Adoption Resource Centers (FCARC) throughout the
state. The FCARCs offer a
variety of resources such as recruitment tools, brochures, library
materials, posters, calendar of statewide events/trainings, and supportive
services to the foster care program in
Wisconsin. Foster care coordinators,
families and children living in out-of-home care may all find resources to
assist them at the FCARCs. Staff
at the FCARC can be reached by telephone at 1-800-947-8074 or via their
website.
We
hope you consider becoming involved in the foster care program – by
becoming a foster parent, respite caregiver, adoptive
parent or supporting the work of foster and adoptive families
in your area. Live Deeper.
Love Wider. Leave
Bigger. If you have a desire
to nurture a child who needs a safe place to live, if you feel called to
care for children who have lived through difficult experiences, if you
think it is the right time to open your home to children, consider
becoming a foster parent for just a few years and make a lifetime of
difference.
Last Revised: June 24, 2008 |