FAQs

Most children in the foster care system need a nurturing home until they can safely reunite with their family or a relative. The children have unique backgrounds, experiences, personalities, strengths and needs. Some may require additional care for physical or emotional challenges.

Each foster family receives a monthly stipend determined by the age and needs of children placed in their home.

Foster parents qualify for childcare assistance if the foster parent is in an activity that qualifies under the Wisconsin Shares Program, including employment or education courses. Foster parents should contact their foster care coordinator or the child’s child welfare professional to find out specific information about the Wisconsin Shares Program.

Foster parents are supported through training opportunities, fun events for the entire family, community resources, and respite. Caregivers can reach agency staff during normal business hours. There is an on-call crisis number in case of an emergency during after hours, weekends and holidays.

Manitowoc County has an Out of Home Support Worker who is a Social Worker whose role is to support foster and relative placement providers. In this position, she provides direct services to placement providers by conducting regular home visits and phone calls, providing parenting education and support, assisting with referrals and locating resources, helping providers navigate the child welfare system, and assisting with placement concerns. The goal is to help both relative caregivers and foster parents feel supported as they care for children in their homes.

Biological parents have the right to visit and have contact with their children as determined by the Department and the court. Contact is determined case by case with a focus on each person’s safety and well-being. Manitowoc County encourages and supports contact and communication between biological parents and foster parents to work in partnership toward the best interests of the child.

No. Available information about a child is shared with you before placement so that you and the workers can decide together whether the child should be placed in your home. In occasional emergency situations, very little may be known about the child at the time of placement.