Wisconsin Family Connections Center

Lunch-N-Learn: Equipping Youth to Lead and Advocate
2026-03-18 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Designed for youth and the adults who support them, this training builds confidence, communication skills, and advocacy tools so young people can effectively use their voices in real-life settings. Through storytelling, role play, and reflection, participants learn how lived experience becomes leadership and how youth voice can influence decisions that shape their lives.
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Taylor/Clark County Support Group
2026-03-16 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | River of Hope Church, 1129 West Broadway Avenue, Medford, WI, 54451
Registration for this event is required on Eventbrite.

A support group for parents/caregivers of children impacted by adoption or out-of-home care residing in Clark or Taylor County. The group will be facilitated by a GIFTS Case Manager/Regional Support Specialist, but is designed for attendees to participate and connect. This is a great chance to connect with other caregivers in your area to help build a supportive network and sense of community.
These in-person groups will run from 5:30-7:00 pm. The first half hour is for parents/caregivers to arrive and eat dinner together before the group discussion starts.
Dinner and water/soda will be provided during each group. Attendees can feel free to bring their own snacks and drinks if that’s preferred! As this is an adults-only support group, a $25 childcare reimbursement, one per family, is available for those who need to secure childcare back at home in order to attend the in-person support group dates.
Please reach out to Chelsey at ccoulthurst@cclse.org with any questions! This event is limited to Wisconsin residents impacted by adoption or out-of-home care and their immediate household.

Virtual Group: Trauma Informed Parenting
2026-03-16 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
For WI caregivers who are parenting youth with a high level of need due to complex trauma histories related to adoption or out-of-home care.

Adoptive, Kinship, Reunified, Foster, & Guardianship parents and caregivers: Please join us for a trauma-informed virtual support group just for you! This group is especially for caregivers who are:
-Parenting youth with trauma histories
-Parenting youth with emotional or behavioral challenges and/or diagnoses such as RAD, DMDD, & ODD.
The group meets on the 3rd Monday of each month from noon (12:00 pm) – 1:00 pm. There will be monthly focus areas for discussion and/or guest speakers to support ongoing learning, but always with plenty of time for connection and support. Please register early as group size is limited.
This group is facilitated by WIFCC Case Manager Allison Kunkel MS, APSW. With questions, please email wifcc@cclse.org.
Please note: This group is specifically designed to provide support for the caregivers of youth with a high level of presenting need because of past trauma histories, emotional/behavioral challenges or diagnoses. You will be asked to confirm that this applies to you within your registration. If you are interested in a more social group that still has a connected parenting approach, please check out some of our other virtual support group options at https://wifcc.eventbrite.com/
This online group will utilize Zoom to connect over video chat. You will need to have access to a smart phone with the free Zoom app, or a computer with a camera and microphone.
This group is offered through the Wisconsin Family Connections Center, a program funded by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

Sunday Fun at the Children's Museum of Green Bay
2026-03-15 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | The Children’s Museum of Green Bay, 1230 Bay Beach Rd, Green Bay, WI, 54302
Registration for this event is required on Eventbrite.

Join WiFCC for a Sunday afternoon at the Children’s Museum of Green Bay!
The time will be open-house style, so come and go as you please. Mingle with other foster & adoptive parents, or just have a fun time playing and exploring the museum with your child! Parents/caregivers must stay with and supervise their children at all times during this event. Please have each household register separately.
Visit the Children’s Museum of Green Bay at https://www.gbchildrensmuseum.org/
If you have any questions or accommodation needs, please contact Val at vzegers@cclse.org.
Cancellations for events must be made at least 72 hours in advance. If 3 or more late cancellations or no-shows occur within a six-month period, the household’s event registrations in the following six months will default to a waitlist.
This event is limited to Wisconsin residents impacted by adoption or out-of-home care and their immediate household.

Family Fun Night at Chaos Waterpark: Eau Claire
2026-03-14 10:00 - 12:30 UTC | Chaos Waterpark, 5152 Fairview Dr, Eau Claire, WI, 54701
Registration for this event is required on Eventbrite.

Join WiFCC at Chaos Waterpark in Eau Claire on Saturday, March 14th, starting at 10 am. Chaos Waterpark features water slides, a lazy river, an activity pool, and an indoor water playground!
Your registration includes up to 5 waterpark passes and a pizza buffet. Additional passes can be purchased through Chaos Waterpark if needed. WiFCC will have a private room available for our group to utilize during our time.
Registration for this event is required on Eventbrite.
This event is intended for adoptive, foster, guardianship, relative caregiver, and reunified families in the state of Wisconsin. Please note that some of the slides have height restrictions. Check out their website to learn more: https://bit.ly/3Ail3c6
If you have questions about this event, please contact Madeline at mcurry@cclse.org.
Cancellations for events must be made at least 72 hours in advance. If 3 or more late cancellations or no-shows occur within a six-month period, the household’s event registrations in the following six months will default to a waitlist.
This event is limited to Wisconsin residents impacted by adoption or out-of-home care and their immediate household.

Teen & Caregiver Paint Splatter Party at Field Workshop: Greendale
2026-03-13 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Chicago) | Field Workshop, 5686 Broad St., Greendale, WI, 53129
Registration for this event is required on Eventbrite. (will start Jan. 12, 2026)

Join the Wisconsin Family Connections Center at Field Workshop in Greendale for a fun night at the glow-in-the-dark splatter room! During this interactive party, everyone will get messy! You will be able to splatter a canvas, a hat, the walls or even your friends! Come dressed for a mess! They will provide you with protective gear, a canvas, paint and splatter tools – and you do the rest! The event is designed for foster, adoptive, guardianship, kinship, and reunified caregivers and teens ages 12-17.
Please register individually, with a max of 2 adults and 2 teens per household unless requested otherwise due to limited availability. At least one adult parent/caregiver must be in attendance with youth from each household.
If you have any questions, please contact Christy at ctimm@cclse.org. To learn more about the venue, and what is recommended by them for your time there, you can visit their website here: https://thefieldworkshop.com/splatter-room. **Due to the activity level of this event, every participant will need to be able to move about freely.
Cancellations for events must be made at least 72 hours in advance. If 3 or more late cancellations or no-shows occur within a six-month period, the household’s event registrations in the following six months will default to a waitlist.
This event is limited to Wisconsin residents impacted by adoption or out-of-home care and their immediate household.

Virtual Group: Adult Adoptees
2026-03-11 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
A virtual group for adult adoptees in WI

Connect with other adult adoptees from around Wisconsin. This will be a space for discussing your adoption experiences with others who “get it”, as well as for just getting to know one another and talking about life. This group is an open discussion format and is facilitated by an adult adoptee.
This online group will utilize Zoom to connect over video chat. You will need to have access to a smart phone or a computer with the free Zoom app, a camera and microphone. Registrants will be emailed a link to use for joining the video chat. If you have any questions, please contact creppe@cclse.org.
This group is offered through the Wisconsin Family Connections Center, a program funded by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

You Are Not Alone: Hope & Healing for Relative Caregivers Hybrid Course
2026-03-11 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
We know that relative care is the best option for children needing out-of -home care. We also know that caregiving can be difficult and isolating. This hybrid course gives voice to the authentic experiences, challenges, lessons learned, and successes of Wisconsin caregivers like you, as well as the loved ones who have had children in care, to offer comfort, hope, and healing. You are not alone.
Free | Registration is limited to 15 participants
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Licensed caregivers will receive 4.0 training credits for completing the online module and participating in the March 11 Zoom Discussion group. See the Eventbrite registration page for additional information. Questions? Call us at 414-475-1246 or email at: info@coalitionforcyf.org

Virtual Group: Open Mic Teen Support Group
2026-03-10 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Youth ages 13-17 who are part of an adoptive or guardianship family in Wisconsin

About this event
Join other teens of adoption or guardianship families for a live, video group session to socially connect and discuss topics related to challenges that arise in these family dynamics. This support group will be facilitated by Chelsey and Christy, WIFCC Support Specialists. Join as often as you would like!
This online group will utilize Zoom to connect over video chat. Your child will need to have access to a smart phone with the free Zoom app, or a computer with a camera and microphone. Parents, you will receive the link your child will need to connect to the group. If you have any questions, please contact ctimm@cclse.org or ccoulthurst@cclse.org.
Who is this group for? for teens who are in foster, adoptive, kinship, and/or guardianship families.
The group’s goal is to provide a structured and safe place for your child to build trust, coping skills, and peer connections while reducing frustration, conflicts, and anxiety felt at home. The group provides your child an opportunity to meet with fellow children dealing with similar challenges with their families on a more personal level. Your child will participate in a variety of activities and discussion while focusing on this session’s theme. The overall goal is for your child to feel supported, that they have control over their attitude and success in life, and understand the complexities of family life.
Group criteria:
• Children between the ages of 13 and 17 are welcome to participate
• During group the child needs a private space free from distractions or other members of the family, but still under the supervision of a trusted adult.
• If you register your child, please be sure they understand prior to registration that this group requires a willingness to participate.
• What your child shares in group is confidential information, unless his or her safety is at risk. Group facilitators are mandatory reporters.
Additional virtual group acknowledgments:
• I understand there are potential risks to this technology, including interruptions, unauthorized access, and technical difficulties. WIFCC may discontinue the virtual group session if it is felt that the videoconferencing connections are not adequate for the situation.
• The group participants must be residing in the state of Wisconsin.
This group is offered through the Wisconsin Family Connections Center, a program funded by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
Register

Virtual Group: Birth Parent Support
2026-03-10 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
A virtual support group for birth parents throughout Wisconsin.

An online support group for birth parents who have placed a child for adoption. This group is open to all birth parents who have had a child placed for adoption, no matter what type of adoption or agency involved. Come ask your questions and meet others who share a similar story. It does not matter how long ago you placed. This group will meet on the second Tuesday of every other month (odd months – January, March….) and will be facilitated by Karla. If you have any questions, please contact kmeyer@cclse.org.
This online group will utilize Zoom to connect over video chat. You will need to have access to a smart phone with the free Zoom app, or a computer with a camera and microphone. Registrants will be emailed a link to use for joining the video chat.
This group is offered through the Wisconsin Family Connections Center, a program funded by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
Register
