Wisconsin is Putting Families First

Since 2018, Wisconsin has been transforming the child welfare system to be more family-focused and collaborative in supporting more children and families in-home.

Putting Families First visual

Better outcomes for children, youth and families

Research shows that children, youth and families do better when supported together. In-home support helps families avoid the trauma of a removal, leads to better behavioral and mental health outcomes and keeps children and youth connected to their communities and cultures. 

This transformation is focused on safely keeping families together by supporting them in-home with resources and services. It’s a step toward realizing the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) shared vision of all Wisconsin children and youth being safe and loved members of thriving families and communities.

Transformation strategies

DCF is committed to three key strategies to create meaningful and lasting transformation:

  1. Strengthening local communities and building services to support families in their homes.
  2. Keeping children in family settings whenever possible.
  3. Supporting the workforce with solutions and improvements.

Putting Families First in Wisconsin

Across the state, local and tribal child welfare agencies are innovating to safely keep families together. Agencies are thinking creatively about how to use their funding, working closely with their community partners and shifting their practice and mindsets. 

Here are some of the ways we’re seeing transformation in action:

  • Five fewer children are removed per day compared to the peak in removals in 2017. 
  • DCF invested more than $11 million in in-home support in 2023.
  • Relatives and like-kin caregivers are receiving stronger and more equitable support.
    • In the first half of 2024, 41% of children entering out-of-home care were initially placed with relatives – increasing the likelihood that they would be placed with their siblings, experience more stability during their placement and ultimately achieve permanency with family.
  • Child protective services professionals have logged more than 30,000 training hours through Wisconsin's workforce training program since the launch of the program in 2023.

These numbers capture only a piece of the larger transformation story and extraordinary efforts of agencies and partners. They also help us understand where and how we can do more as a system.

Want to learn more?

The Putting Families First Communication Toolbox is home to research, general information and stakeholder-specific resources about the transformation. To stay updated on ongoing work and other news, subscribe to our newsletter. And for local data on removals, disparity and more, take a look at the Putting Families First Data Dashboard.

Any questions can be sent to the Putting Families First inbox.