How to Become a Foster Parent

Wellpoint Care Network has been licensing and supporting safe, nurturing foster homes in Wisconsin since 1984. With more than 7,000 children needing care each year statewide, your help has never been more needed.

While every child and case is unique, the Foster Care Licensing process can take anywhere from 60-120 days from the time you submit a completed application (the type of license you’re applying for may also impact this estimate).

Foster Parent Requirements in Wisconsin

To qualify as a foster parent in Milwaukee County or its five surrounding Counties (Kenosha, Ozaukee, Racine, Waukesha and Washingon), an applicant must:

• Be a minimum age of 21 years old.
• Possess a sufficient, verifiable source of income.
• Have bedroom space for the foster child that meets licensing standards.
• Have vehicle liability insurance and valid driver’s license (if transporting foster child).
• Pass a criminal background and caregiver check.
• Be willing and able to work with a child’s biological family.
• Have no prior involvement with a child welfare agency due to an upheld accusation of child abuse or neglect.
• Meet all safe home requirements (including working smoke detectors, safe staircases and adequate homeowner’s or renter’s liability insurance).
• Have patience, a sense of humor and plenty of love to give.

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What is foster parenting really like?

Foster care is the temporary placement of a child in a home away from their family, typically due to abandonment, abuse, neglect, or the incarceration or hospitalization of a parent. Whatever the cause, the children we serve have experienced very real trauma, so we train all foster parents in the practice of Trauma Informed Care. As a foster parent, you’re not just giving a child a safe space and sense of much-needed stability. You’re helping mitigate the physical, behavioral, and emotional affects of their trauma so that they are better equipped to heal and thrive in the future.

Reunification with the biological family is always the goal of foster care. While foster parents are providing the children with a safe and nurturing environment, Wellpoint Care staff are helping their biological families strengthen parenting skills and eliminate any safety concerns. While it’s never easy to say goodbye to someone you have cared for, time after time we hear our foster parents say the experience is worth it.

Just like the children in our care, foster parents come from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, neighborhoods, and family structures. You can see more videos of foster families online on our YouTube Channel.

Contact Us to Begin Your Application

Whether you’re just beginning to think about fostering or ready to start an application, you probably have questions about the licensing process. That’s what we’re here for. Reach out using the contact methods below, and a representative will get back to you — usually within 24 hours.

Attend a Virtual or In-Person Info Session

All prospective foster parents must attend one of these helpful 90-minute sessions, which are held multiple times each month in both virtual and in-person formats. Here, you’ll have a chance to connect directly with Wellpoint Care Network staff, learn more about our unique, trauma-informed approach, and have the opportunity to get all of your questions answered.