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Human Services

Types of Care

Kinship Care

Kinship Care is a living arrangement where a minor child is residing with a legal relative or like kin. Like-kin is defined as an individual who has a significant emotional relationship with a child or the child’s family that is similar to a familial relationship.

This arrangement can be voluntary or court ordered. The provider could be eligible for a monthly financial stipend of $375.00 per month for each eligible child.

  • The caregiver completes an application for the monthly payment.
  • An assessment is done to determine if the criteria mandated by the State of Wisconsin are met.
  • This includes a criminal background check and a home visit by a social worker to ensure that the living situation meets the statutory requirement.
  • The child’s parents must agree to the living arrangements, unless it is a court-ordered placement.
  • Parents may have to pay child support if the caregiver is receiving Kinship payments.

For more information, questions or an application regarding Kinship Care:

Please contact Manitowoc County Human Services at 920-683-4230 or email us.

Foster Care

Foster care is a temporary living arrangement for children and youth, who are unable to live with their own families due to circumstances such as abuse or neglect, or challenges their families may be currently facing.

When it is not possible for a child to remain in their home, foster homes are critical in providing children and youth with a safe and stable living environment. Foster families are a part of the team assisting the child or youth with coping with their situation and keeping them connected to their family.

Individuals or families interested in becoming foster parents have to fulfill requirements, which include background screenings, a home study, and training.

General Requirements:

  • Applicants must be 21 years of age or older
  • Applicants must have the necessary resources and ability to meet the requirements of his/her own family, and his/her home must meet certain safety standards.
  • Applicants must be willing to work collaboratively with the department, birth families, and services in order to work towards reunification between children and their families.

All families receive financial compensation for the children placed in their home, support services, training, and health insurance for the children.

Families First: Family Find

Families First: Research shows that children, youth and families do better when supported together. In-home support helps families avoid the trauma of a removal, leads to better behavioral and mental health outcomes and keeps children and youth connected to their communities and cultures. The focus is safely keeping families together by supporting them in-home with resources and services.

If a child is unable to stay in home with their family and needs to be placed in out of home care we start the Family Find and Engagement Process.

Family Find and Engagement: A process aimed at establishing family connections between children in out-of-home care and their relatives. Every child deserves to have a meaningful connection with relatives that helps develop a sense of belonging only family can provide. Meaningful connections and relationships with family is the most important factor to contributing to positive outcomes for children in out-of-home care.

The Family Find Specialist makes efforts to identify, locate, and reach out to Relatives and Like-Kin. Individuals are identified through Seneca Searches, internet searches, data mining, and conversations with family members. You may be contacted through letter, phone call, email, or on Facebook messenger. The search is ongoing and happens throughout the case process. If you get a letter, email, phone call, or message regarding a child in care or think there may be a child in care that you may be connected to, please reach out to the Family Find Specialist. By connecting with the Family Find Specialist, you can let us know what your interest level is in being involved and how you can help support the child in out of home care.

Once family members are identified, the workers help the relative(s) establish, maintain, and build a connection or transition to relative placement.

For more information or questions:

Please contact Manitowoc County Human Services at 920-683-4230 or email us.