Waukesha County Foster Care

06/15/2026

Registration link: https://waukeshafostercareinfo.eventbrite.com

06/02/2026

National Reunification Month is celebrated every June to honor the hard work of families who safely and successfully reunite after being involved with the child welfare or foster care system. It also recognizes the caseworkers, judges, and foster parents who support them.

06/01/2026

Amy and Mike live in Waukesha and were licensed foster parents for Waukesha County for over 11 years. Their first placement involved two siblings who were ultimately reunified with their family. In 2017, their two daughters, now ages 9 and 13, came into care, and they were blessed to adopt them in 2020. As a family, they enjoy going on road trips throughout Wisconsin and to other states. They love having adventures together and learning about new places. They also stay busy supporting their daughters’ extracurricular activities, including dance, gymnastics, and music. Mike coaches their younger daughter’s soccer team and especially enjoys watching her and her friends have fun, work together, and grow through the game. Amy and Mike received a great deal of support for their children and family from the Waukesha County Foster Care Program. They noted that their social worker, Brittany S., was amazing, as were the other team members who helped with their placement. They were inspired to become foster parents because they wanted to give back to the community and help children and families in need. They describe fostering as both the hardest and most fulfilling experience of their lives. While being a foster parent can be challenging and sometimes heartbreaking, they believe the experience of having children in one’s life, and the way it changes a person for the better, is immeasurable. For them, having a lasting positive impact on a child’s life is the greatest reward.
Thank you Amy & Mike! Ready to start your own journey? www.wcfostercare.com

05/28/2026

Hands Around the Capitol brought together young people, parents, kinship caregivers, professionals, and community partners from across Wisconsin to raise awareness and advocate for children, youth, and families involved in, or at risk of out-of-home care.

The event centered the voices of people with lived experience, highlighting the importance of listening to those directly impacted by child welfare and youth justice systems. Through speakers, shared stories, and connection with organizations statewide, participants worked to build understanding, strengthen support for families, and promote priorities that improve systems and communities.

By joining hands at the Capitol, attendees showed a shared commitment to supporting Wisconsin’s youth and families and to creating a stronger, more responsive system of care.

05/26/2026

In Pewaukee, Sam, Liz, and their three children have created a home filled with love, learning, and adventure. Along with their kitten, Ember, they enjoy camping in their pop-up camper during the summer, visiting the zoo, exploring children’s museums, and making memories together as a family.
Their path to foster care began years ago when Liz worked in the Birth to 3 program and partnered closely with foster families. Through that experience, she saw how important it is for everyone in a child’s life to work together to provide stability, encouragement, and support. That lasting impact led Sam and Liz to open their own home, not with the goal of adoption, but with the hope of helping children and families through difficult seasons and supporting reunification whenever possible.
Sam and Liz want others to understand that foster care is about caring for both children and their families with empathy, patience, and compassion. They have adopted one child and fostered four children, from babies to elementary age, and are grateful to still have a strong, positive relationship with one child’s biological family so much so that they simply call each other “family.”
Their story is a powerful reminder that getting attached is not something to avoid in foster care; it is exactly the point. By stepping in with love and support, foster parents can make a lifelong difference for children, strengthen families, and build a more caring community.
Thank you Sam & Liz! Ready to start your own journey? www.wcfostercare.com

05/19/2026

Ashley and Matt live in Waukesha with their three young children: James, 7; Theo, 5; and Isla, 3, as well as their two cats. Their family loves the outdoors and spends much of the summer and fall camping, swimming, and playing in the yard. Ashley and Matt became foster parents in 2017. At that point, they had been married for five years and had had trouble starting a family. They knew they wanted children, but as time passed, they began to realize that their path to parenthood might look different than they had originally imagined. While going through the licensing process, they learned Ashley was pregnant with their son James. Rather than discontinuing the licensing process, they provided respite care for another foster family in the county and found the experience deeply rewarding.

After their first son James was born, they briefly paused their availability for foster placements. When James was about 6 months old, they received an email about a 15-year-old girl in need of foster placement. After meeting her, they immediately felt she was meant to be part of their lives. She remained with them through high school graduation and the beginning of her studies at a technical college. After moving out with a friend, she later returned to live with them for a time when her plans changed. Now 22, she continues to be a significant part of their lives: as a daughter to Ashley and Matt, and as a sibling to their three younger children. They could not be prouder of the person she has become.

For families considering foster parenting, Ashley’s message is simple: do it. She describes it as one of the best decisions their family has ever made. Waukesha County Social Workers Megan F. and Michelle M. stood out as especially supportive to them. They communicated clearly, answered questions, and helped the family navigate challenges. Though this was their only foster placement, that young woman became, and has remained, a member of their family for the past six years. Ashley and Matt would not have it any other way.

Thank you Ashley & Matt! Ready to begin your own journey? www.wcfostercare.com

05/12/2026

Janine lives in Waukesha with her two boys, ages 8 and 12, and their two dogs. She works in IT as a Business Intelligence Engineer while also running a nonprofit, owning a home, and single parenting. Their family also extends beyond their household, with the boys’ biological relatives—including moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings—remaining an important and valued part of their lives.

Janine has always felt called to be a parent and was naturally drawn to fostering and adoption. One of her most meaningful “wins” has been witnessing family reunification. Her foster daughter was the first to reunify, and today all the siblings are back home and thriving, with that daughter now on her way to college. Janine still receives updates, a lasting reminder of the impact of fostering.

Over time, Janine has cared for 20 children, including babies, teens, and sibling groups. Through it all, she emphasizes the importance of teamwork and compassion. “You’ll be sad, you’ll be happy, you’ll be challenged—you’ll find joy and heartbreak,” she says. “It’s 100% worth it. Just remember we are all human—the biological families, the kids, the caseworkers, and ourselves. We all make mistakes, but we all need to work as a team to give these kids everything they deserve and more.”

She also hopes more people understand that trauma isn’t limited by age. “Even babies come with trauma,” she explains. “Don’t rule out older kids because of that. I’ve seen incredible resilience—some of these kids will truly amaze you with their ability to persevere.”

Thank you Janine! Ready to start your journey? www.wcfostercare.com

05/10/2026