skip mobile navigation
skip top site navigation

Foster Care & Kinship Care

The mission of the Oneida Child Placement Agency is to recruit, license, train and support American Indian foster homes and the Oneida children they care for.

Foster Care

Oneida Nation Foster Care Program is a state licensed, tribal run Child Placing Agency developed to facilitate out-of-home placements for Oneida Children when family is unavailable. In Wisconsin, there are more Native American children in foster care than there are licensed Native American foster parents. Children are at risk of being placed outside of their communities and/or away from their tribes, thus creating more barriers to reunification.

We are currently in need of tribal foster parents to care for Oneida Children.

As part of the foster care program, we offer:

  • Home visits to explain the licensing process and expectations of being a foster parent
  • Training to help prepare you to become a well-informed foster parent
  • Access to resources (libraries, additional / on-going training, support services)
  • Respite Care
  • On-going support when children are placed in your care by a team of caring professionals

Foster Care Coordinators:     Kathleen Laplant  (920) 490-3707 or Lea Padron (920) 490-3822

Ongoing Training Resource – WI Child Welfare Professional Development System (PDS) Online

Foster Care Statutes – Chapter 56: WI Foster Care Statutes 

If you or someone you know would like to become a licensed Foster Parent, please contact one of our Child Placement Coordinators to learn more!

 

Kinship Care

Kinship Care is a program to help support a child who lives outside of their home with a relative such as:

  • An adult brother or sister
  • A first cousin
  • A nephew or niece
  • An uncle or aunt or a grandparent
  • Others by blood or marriage

The child may be living temporarily or long term with a relative to assist the family if they are under stress or when the child has experienced abuse or neglect. With this support, children are less likely to be placed in a foster home or another out-of-home care setting.

Eligibility requirements for Tribal Kinship Care:

  1. The basic needs of the child can be better met with the relative than with the parent
  2. The placement is in the best interests of the child
  3. The child is currently in need of protection or services or might meet the requirements for services if the child were to remain with their parent(s).
  4. The child or the caregiver must be Oneida enrolled who resides in Brown or Outagamie County

Other requirements include:

  • A criminal background check on the relative caretaker and all adult household members
  • Cooperation with the agency by the relative caretaker
  • The relative caretaker must cooperate with referral of the parents to child support, unless the relative caretaker is granted a Good Cause exemption
  • Kinship living arrangements and eligibility must be reviewed every 12 months

Kinship Care Coordinators:     Kathleen Laplant  (920) 490-3707 or Lea Padron (920) 490-3822

Ongoing Training Resource – WI Child Welfare Professional Development System (PDS) Online

Foster Care Statutes – Chapter 56: WI Foster Care Statutes 

Informational Flyers

Additional/Contact Info