Foster care parents give someone else’s child a safe place to stay during a difficult time for the family in which the child is not able to stay at home. The main goal of foster care is to reunify the children with their parents or caregivers. Every child needs security and nurturing in order to grown into a healthy adult. Counties, tribes and private agencies license foster parents in Wisconsin.

Successful foster parents come from a variety of backgrounds – they are all different ages, races, income levels, and occupations. But they have two things in common: they have a desire to help children, and they have the ability to roll with the punches. Foster parents are single and married, own their own homes and rent apartments, work in and outside of their homes. Many foster families already have children, but some are caring for children for the first time. There is not a minimum income requirement for foster parents as long as they can take care of family expenses outside of the reimbursement received for fostering. Most importantly, foster families need to provide safe, stable and caring homes for children.

To become a foster parent, one must be 21 years of age or older and a responsible adult. During the application process, you will fill out paperwork and meet with social workers who will license your home through a series of interviews and the licensing process. Workers will want to obtain your criminal background, law violations and other background information during this process. Complete foster home licensing requirements are listed in Wisconsin Administrative Code Ch. DCF 56.

For more information about becoming a foster care provider contact:

• Jodi Cook, South Wood County Foster Care Coordinator – 715-421-8629
• Jessica Nehmer, North Wood County Foster Care Coordinator – 715-387-6374