Samantha Ross and Brenda Schumann joined us to share about Family Works and the high need for foster parents.  Family Works is a private treatment foster care agency that recruits, licenses and trains foster parents throughout the state. They receive over 900 referrals a year and are only able to place a fraction of those. 

Children enter foster care for a variety of reasons: parental substance use, physical abuse, neglect, incarcerated parents, child’s mental health or physical needs, or a child’s delinquent behavior. When kids come into foster homes it’s the job of foster parents, county social workers, and Family Works staff to support the child and their family in achieving a child’s permanency goal. This can be reunifying children with their parents or another family member, adoption, or guardianship. At the same time, they’re also making sure the child’s physical, mental, and emotional needs are met.

To find out more or to offer support, visit their website, www. family-works.com, or email: 

Shanna Schweitzer, sschweitzer@familyworks.com (Northern WI)

Brenda Schumann bschumann@family-works.com (Southern WI)