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CONTACT: Stephanie Marquis, 608-266-1683
Celebrating
Our Foster Care Families
This May we celebrate Foster Care Month in Wisconsin and across the
country. Throughout the month, we pause to acknowledge the positive impact
foster care has for children who need a safe place to live and belong.
As the Secretary-Designee for the new Department of Children and
Families and having been a foster parent myself, I understand the unique
and critical role that foster parents play in giving children and youth
the safety and security they need to grow up to be successful adults.
Often times, it is the one foster parent that believed in a child and gave
them a chance to believe in themselves that makes the difference of a
lifetime.
Even if for a short time, foster parents in Wisconsin have a tremendous
influence on foster youth and play a significant role in making our foster
care system work. Every day, our foster parents are doing remarkable
things that may not seem life-changing to us, but make an incredible
difference for the children in their care. They honor children's
relationships with their families - especially their siblings - and drive
children to endless appointments and visits, advocate for their needs,
help them weather emotional storms, train and mentor other foster parents,
and assist in the development of statewide services. Through all of this,
they never stop giving of themselves.
While we have many foster parents who provide the safety and stability
necessary for children to develop and grow, we have a constant need for
more foster families. If you have ever thought about becoming a foster
parent, please contact the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center at
1-800-947-8074 or www.wifostercareandadoption.org.
While it may not seem like the perfect time for you, your home may be
the perfect place for a child in your community who needs a safe place to
be while they cannot be with their own family.
Reggie Bicha
Secretary-Designee
Department of Children and Families
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Last Revised: October 24, 2008 |
