Skip to content
  • How Can We Help?
  • Join Our Team
Wellpoint Care Network
Donate
  • Mission
    • Our Approach
      • Trauma Informed Care
        • The Science of Healing
        • Seven Essential Ingredients of Trauma Informed Care
        • The Compassion Curve
      • Five Pillars of Stability
      • Equity and Inclusion
    • Stories & Testimonials
  • Services
    • Mental Health
      • Outpatient Mental Health Services
      • School Based Mental Health
      • Occupational Therapy
      • Neurosequential Model Therapeutics (NMT)™
      • Comprehensive Community Services
    • Child & Family Well-being
      • Foster Parenting
        • The Basics of Fostering
        • Foster Parent Requirements
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Foster Parent Support
        • Adopt from Foster Care
      • Care Coordination
      • Child Welfare
      • Youth Transitioning to Adulthood
    • Training & Consulting
      • K-12 Schools
      • Child & Family Serving Organizations
      • Early Childhood Education
      • Law Enforcement
      • Training Opportunities
      • Consulting & Coaching
      • Meet Our Trainers and Consultants
      • Inquire About Our Training & Consulting
  • Media & Events
    • Latest News
    • Upcoming Events
    • Fostering Events
    • Blog Stories
    • Press Room
  • Get Involved
    • Donate Now
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Become a Foster Parent
  • About Us
    • History
    • Board of Directors
    • Leadership
    • Our Partnerships
      • State & Local Government
      • Accreditation and Memberships
      • Child Welfare Network Providers
      • Partnership Opportunities & Inquiries
    • Annual Report
  • Donate
  • How Can We Help?
  • Join Our Team
Donate
Media and Events / Blog Stories / Foster Care Month: Beth’s Story

Foster Care and Adoption

Please share our story

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share with your Email

Foster Care Month: Beth’s Story

By Rachel Frye | Posted on May 2, 2023

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to acknowledge foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals and other members of the community who help those in foster care find permanent homes and connections. 

Beth is a former Wellpoint Care foster parent who became licensed in August of 2020. She was kind enough to share the following account of her experience, in the hopes of showing others how easy the process could be.


Beth’s Story

I have always loved children. In December 2019, I was visiting my family before the holidays, and found myself getting baby fever while watching my cousins’ children grow up way too fast.

When I made an off-the-cuff remark about wanting to care for a baby of my own, my cousins, who had been active foster parents for many years, responded with, “You should be a foster parent!”

I immediately laughed it off as a joke, but then stopped myself to ask, “Wait. Why wouldn’t I want to be a foster parent?”

Fostering Caring Connections

In September of 2020, I got the call for my first placement — a four-month-old baby boy. I first met his birth mother at a supervised visitation. She looked very skeptical of me, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being interviewed.

She asked me the one question I was afraid of: “Have you ever been a foster parent before?”

She asked me the one question I was afraid of: “Have you ever been a foster parent before?” When I told her this was my first time, I definitely felt judged.

I tried to be as kind and friendly as I could to help put her at ease. I didn’t want her to feel like I was prying, so I asked just one question: “What can I do to help support you?” She was quiet for a few seconds, then answered that she would like me to send her pictures, so she wouldn’t miss him so much.

Learning How to Co-Parent

That one question laid the foundation for our relationship. His mother began to feel more comfortable opening up to me, and it wasn’t long before she shared the background of their situation. The more I learned, the more I realized that there weren’t very many differences between us. If a few things went differently in each of our lives, our positions could have easily been reversed.

Like any relationship, it took time to learn how to communicate. This was during the pandemic, so there were times when we had to cancel or reschedule visits for exposure concerns. We would FaceTime to help bridge the gap between visits, but after talking for just a short while, she would rush to get off the phone. It took me a while to realize it was because she didn’t want to start crying in front of me. 

It was a challenge at first to figure out how to co-parent successfully, but once we started it seemed so simple. A diaper rash, a runny nose or spitting up more than usual — it was so easy to send a quick text update and ask for her thoughts. We sent countless messages back and forth brainstorming ways to make him more comfortable during bathtime, which he hated!

Shared parenting seemed obvious to me after we got to know each other, and I realized it was because we both communicated openly and honestly. We kept each other updated so that the transition between visits was almost seamless. It truly felt like she and I were partners, and I was humbled to learn that she felt similarly.

Communication is Key

It was a challenge at first to figure out how to co-parent successfully, but once we started it seemed so simple.

When my cat passed away unexpectedly, I explained my situation and asked if I she was able to take the baby for the night. As I walked up her porch steps carrying her son, the first thing she did was hug me and express her condolences. I’m not sure I could ever really explain how much her support and compassion meant to me at that moment.

At the beginning of our relationship, my main goal had been compassion. She was already being judged by so many other people, I hated the thought of her feeling like everyone was against her. I asked myself, “How would I want to be treated if I was in her shoes?”

By the time she and her son were reunified, I felt genuine excitement and respect for her. She worked very hard and proved the people who didn’t believe in her wrong. I can say today that I love both her and her son very much, and I’m so grateful to be a part of both of their lives.


As a foster parent, your commitment could be just what a biological family needs to heal and reunite. It doesn’t matter your marital status, career or parenting experience. If you’re willing to care for a child who comes into your care, being a foster parent is right for you. 

Wellpoint Care Network has a long history of supporting children and families, and we’ve been licensing safe, nurturing foster homes since 1984. Learn more about the process in our online e-learning course, The Basics of Fostering.

Learn more

Becoming a Foster Parent
The Basics of Fostering E-learning Course

More Foster Care and Adoption Stories

June 1, 2023

Reunification Month: A Wellpoint Care Network Success Story

May 1, 2023

Consider Becoming a Foster Parent During National Foster Care Month

March 20, 2023

Healthy Infant Court Provides Positive Results for Parents and Children

March 1, 2023

Celebrating Social Work Month: Spotlighting Wellpoint Care Network Staff

View More

What's Trending

March 22, 2022

Money for Former Foster Youth

January 1, 2022

SaintA is now Wellpoint Care Network

June 16, 2022

The Importance of Reunification

July 19, 2022

Racism and Mental Health

View More
Share this story
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share with your Email

Stay connected with our mission.

Subscribe and receive news, updates, and more ways to stay involved.

"(Required)" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Mission
  • Services
  • Media & Events
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Crisis Resources
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Mission
  • Our Approach
  • Stories & Testimonials
  • Services
  • Mental Health
  • Child & Family Well-being
  • Training & Consulting
  • Media & Events
  • Latest News
  • Upcoming Events
  • Blog Stories
  • Press Room
  • Get Involved
  • Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Become a Foster Parent
  • About Us
  • Board of Directors
  • Leadership
  • Our Partnerships
  • Annual Report
Wellpoint Care Network, Inc.
8901 W. Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53222

© 2023 Wellpoint Care Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Crisis Resources
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • HIPAA Notice
  • Accessibility Statement

© 2023 Wellpoint Care Network, Inc. All rights reserved.