To the Wisconsin State Government,

We, the undersigned, concerned citizens and advocates for children’s welfare, hereby petition the Wisconsin State Government to urgently address the most glaring issues within the state’s foster care system.

Specifically, we call for immediate action to rectify the following key problems:

1. Lack of Permanency for Children: The current system fails to provide adequate permanency for children in foster care. Too many children experience prolonged stays in temporary placements, leading to instability and adverse effects on their emotional and psychological well-being.
2. Disruption of Established Placements: The practice of changing a child’s placement after they have grown attached to their caregivers is detrimental to their sense of stability and security. It disrupts their relationships, hinders their educational progress, and exacerbates the trauma they have already endured.
3. Ongoing Loss of Licensed Foster Homes: The number of foster homes in Wisconsin decreased by 231 from 2012 to 2022. During that same period of time, the number of children in foster care in Wisconsin increased by 766. This trend continues to worsen as the amount of available foster homes continues to decrease while the number of children in foster care continues to increase.

These issues are critical and demand immediate attention and reform. Every child deserves a stable, safe, loving, and permanent home. It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that these fundamental needs are met for all children in foster care. We therefore, urge the Wisconsin State Government to take swift and decisive action to address these issues by implementing the following measures:

1. Improve Permanency Planning: Ensure permanency planning begins promptly upon a child entering foster care, with a goal of achieving a permanent placement as quickly as possible.
2. Limit Change of Placement: Implement policies to reduce the frequency of changing a child’s placement, particularly after nine months, unless absolutely necessary for safety or security reasons.
3. Support Foster Families: Provide enhanced support and resources to foster families to enable them to provide stable and nurturing environments for children in their care.
4. Increase Oversight and Accountability: Strengthen oversight and accountability mechanisms within the foster care system to ensure that children’s needs are being met and that they are not unnecessarily subjected to placement changes.
5. Enhance Training and Education: Provide comprehensive training and education for all stakeholders involved in the foster care system, including foster parents, social workers, and judges in order to better understand and address the needs of children in care.

We believe that these measures will lead to significant improvements in Wisconsin’s foster care system and ultimately result in better outcomes for children in foster care.

We urge the Wisconsin State Government to act swiftly and decisively to address these critical issues.

Sincerely,

Alaric Huls
Teacher/Coach
Foster Parent/Advocate