Family Resources & Support Organizations

There are many organizations, websites, and resources that support foster, kinship, and adoptive parents. On this page, you will find some suggested websites, support groups, and downloadable resources that you may find helpful. Please feel free to contact us at 800-762-8063 with questions or other support group informational needs.

Conference Information & Handouts

The annual Healing Centered Families Conference is a conference that supports all families touched by the child welfare system, focusing on healing and support for all family members.

The 2025 conference will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. More information will be posted when it becomes available.
Information from the 2024 Conference is available here.

Resource Downloads

Camp Information: Review an overview of summer camp and program options in Wisconsin, specifically designed for children and families involved in the foster care, adoption, and child welfare systems.
Family Support Groups & Support Associations: This comprehensive directory of family support groups and associations in Wisconsin is organized by both statewide and regional options, as well as online resources.
Ongoing Support Group Flyers: This webpage provides information about various ongoing support groups available to families affected by foster care, kinship care, and adoption.
Respite Care Providers: Find information about respite care providers in Wisconsin, focusing on organizations that offer temporary care and crisis support for children and youth.
Wisconsin Waiver Services: An overview of Wisconsin’s waiver services, specifically available to children post-adoption who have disabilities or special needs.

Searching for Birth Relatives

Children and adults who were adopted sometimes wonder about their birth family and their own history. It can be a life-changing decision to search for pieces of information or even meet members of your birth family. If you’re thinking about searching for your birth family, please visit the Wisconsin Department of Children & Families web page about the Adoption Records Search Program.

You might also be interested in our tip sheet, To Search or Not to Search. Making the decision to initiate a search is often a critical turning point in the life of an adopted person. There are many possible outcomes when you decide to search. The decision to search is a personal decision that requires a great deal of thought, questions, and personal reflection. This tip sheet highlights key questions for your consideration.

State & Local Organizations

There are many organizations that support foster, kinship, and adoptive parents. On this page, you will find a list of a few suggested websites and support groups that you might find helpful. Please feel free to contact us at 800-762-8063 with questions or other support group informational needs.

Foster Care

Dr. John DeGarmo is an international foster care expert, consultant, and speaker, authoring numerous books for foster parents and families. His website is a hub for news, information, and resources on all things foster care.

The Strategic Sharing Booklet from Casey.org is a great guide for those involved in foster care. You may have opportunities to share your life story with others in order to educate and influence them. Whether you are a person in or from foster care, a care provider, a professional, or an interested community member, you’ve lived a story of your own.

The National Foster Parent Association works under a mission to be a respected national voice for foster, kinship, and adoptive parents through networking, education, and advocacy.

Adoption

Child Welfare Information Gateway provides publications, research, and learning tools to support child welfare professionals, service providers, relatives, and parents, working to support the needs of all children, youth, and families.

Connect for Kids (AKA Spark Action) makes the best use of communications technologies, specifically the Internet, to give adults (parents, grandparents, guardians, educators, advocates, policymakers, elected officials, and others) the tools and information they need to improve the lives of youth and families. The Connect for Kids online publication covers more than 30 topics, ranging from arts to youth development, foster care to adoption, and welfare reform.

Professional Organizations

Families Rising amplifies those with lived experience, assists adoptive, foster, and kinship parents, educates child welfare professionals, and champions the well-being of children and families.

Kindering Center is committed to creating and providing superior, individualized, family-centered services for children who are disabled, medically fragile, or vulnerable because of abuse or neglect to develop maximum potential, hope, and community understanding.

The Wisconsin Foster and Adoptive Parents Association is dedicated to increasing the amount of information, resources, training, and support available to foster and adoptive families in Wisconsin.