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Hello everyone!
As winter settles in, bringing with it the excitement of holidays, winter breaks, and the shifting rhythms of the season, we know that this time of year can feel both joyful and overwhelming. Families often navigate a mix of emotions, from celebration to challenges, and we want you to know you’re not alone.
At the Wisconsin Family Connections Center, we’re here to celebrate the season’s joys with you and to walk alongside you when complex emotions and behaviors arise.
This newsletter includes program highlights, helpful resources, and upcoming events and training designed to support you and your family.
Our hope for you this season is that you find moments of joy in the little things, delight in the playfulness of the children in your care, and experience the wonder this time of year so often brings.
Remember, we’re always just a phone call or email away.
Wishing you peace and warmth,
Your Wisconsin Family Connections Center Team
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Meet a Couple WIFCC Team Members! | |
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Meet Mike Heath!
Mike Heath earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and currently supports the WiFCC as a Resource Specialist. Mike is driven to provide support and resources for youth and families connected to foster care, relative care, or adoption. Mike is a firm believer that all families need support and resources throughout their parenting journey. He is grateful for the opportunity to connect families to resources and support services and would love to support you on your own journey.
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Meet Val Zegers!
Val Zegers is the WiFCC Support Specialist for Northeastern Wisconsin. Val has 15 years of experience working in the adoption field. She has had the opportunity to walk alongside birth parents, families, and children during their journeys of adoption or out-of-home care. She and her husband have been married for over 16 years and have two sons who keep them busy! They enjoy spending time together as a family (especially traveling), watching their sons play baseball, and being a host family for the Northwoods League (Green Bay Rockers). Val would love to support you or your family on your journey and invites you to reach out!
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Family Fun Spotlight
Thank you to all the families who attended and helped make the WiFCC Dance and Pizza Party in the Dells event in October so special! We loved seeing everyone have fun dancing and showing their creative side at the craft stations!
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Illuminate Your Path With WIFCC’s Highlighted Resources | |
Support Group Spotlight: Trauma-Informed Parenting
Are you a parent or caregiver raising a child who has experienced trauma? You're not alone, even though, at times, you may feel that way. Many families across Wisconsin are navigating the complex journey of parenting children with trauma histories.
The Wisconsin Family Connection Center’s (WIFCC’s) Trauma-Informed Parenting Support Group will provide you with an opportunity to connect with other adoptive, kinship, reunified, foster, and guardianship parents or caregivers who are caring for children with emotional/behavioral challenges due to trauma histories.
What can you expect?
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Empathetic Connection: Connect with others who truly understand your unique challenges.
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Practical Tools: Learn new skills and strategies to help the child in your care heal and thrive.
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Emotional Release: Share your feelings and concerns in a safe and supportive environment.
Support Group Details
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When: Third Monday of each month, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (CST)
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How: Online via Zoom (easy to use on your computer or smartphone)
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Target Audience: Parents and caregivers caring for youth with emotional or behavioral challenges and/or diagnoses such as Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).
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To participate: Register ahead of time to receive the Zoom link.
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.
This support group is specifically designed to provide support for parents and caregivers of youth with a high level of presenting need because of past trauma histories, emotional/behavioral challenges, or diagnoses.
If you are interested in a more social group that offers a connected parenting approach, please consider participating in some of WIFCC’s additional virtual support group options at https://wifcc.eventbrite.com/.
Please register early, as the group size is limited. WIFCC Case Manager Allison Kunkel, MS, APSW, facilitates this support group. If you have any questions, please email wifcc@cclse.org.
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November Monthly Publication Pairs With December Training
We’re excited to share one of our latest resources, Play, Laugh, Connect: Strengthening Bonds Through Play, which perfectly complements our recent live webinar, Building Relationships: Connecting With Your Child Through Play. This publication highlights how play can deepen connections between you and the child in your care while offering practical tips for making play a regular part of your day. Whether you’re a parent or a professional, you’ll find simple, meaningful ways to use play to boost creativity, ease stress, and build stronger, more trusting relationships.
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If you want to learn more about the science behind the play and its impact on child development, watch our December training recording with Shanna Sullivan, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. In this webinar, Shanna dives deeper into how play affects brain development and shares practical strategies to strengthen parent-child bonds through play. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore how play can become a tool for family connection, healing, and growth.
The recording for this training will be available soon.
Pair the insights from the publication with the knowledge you’ll gain from the webinar to fully embrace the power of play in your work or personal life!
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Healing Centered Families 2024 Update
The Wisconsin Family Connection Center was thrilled to host the first annual Healing Centered Families conference on November 16, 2024. Open to all caregivers on the journey to permanency, this free conference brought together an inspiring mix of stories, strategies, and insights designed to honor the challenges children and families face while shining a light on hope and healing.
The day began with a powerful keynote address by belonging expert Gaelin Elmore. Gaelin captivated the audience with heartfelt stories of his own childhood adversity and the incredible role his support system played in fostering resilience and healing. His message set the tone for a day filled with practical wisdom and profound encouragement.
Attendees also heard from:
- Shanna Sullivan shared actionable strategies to help children feel safe in their daily lives.
- Alebra Metoxen, whose reflections on reclaiming nearly lost Native cultural practices offered a poignant look at healing generational trauma within Tribal communities.
- Dr. Angela Marx provided insight into effective healing approaches for children who’ve experienced trauma.
The conference celebrated connection and possibility, reminding us that family, community, and culture can be powerful forces for creating a sense of safety, belonging, and healing.
If you couldn’t join us this year, we’d love for you to mark your calendar for next year’s Healing Centered Families conference. It’s a day filled with inspiration, learning, and connection—and we can’t wait to see you there!
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Looking Ahead
Take a quick peek at what's coming up. Click on the hyperlinks or additional links provided below for more details on how to register for upcoming WIFCC opportunities.
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Upcoming Training:
Succession Planning for Caregivers of Children: Thinking Ahead
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
6:00 PM-7:30 PM
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the complex legal and financial landscape ahead? You're not alone. Join us for an illuminating session with Amy Devine, where you'll explore a wealth of essential information. We'll delve into the critical legal tools protecting you and the child in your care, uncovering innovative financial planning strategies specifically tailored for kinship families. You'll learn about practical ways to create a safety net for children with disabilities and discover powerful legal documents that can support your loved ones as they grow into adulthood. Amy will break down complex legal concepts into actionable, easy-to-understand guidance that can transform uncertainty into a solid plan for the future.
Presented by: Amy Devine, attorney and partner at Haskins Short & Brindley, LLC
Licensed foster parents will receive 1.5 training credits for participation, and each individual in a household must register separately to receive credit.
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Upcoming Family Fun Events
Here is a sampling of family fun events around the state. Click on the specific locations to find a complete listing for that area. Visit the WiFCC Eventbrite Collections to learn more: WiFCC Collections.
Eau Claire & Surrounding Areas
- Parent/Caregiver Support Coffee Meet-Up: New Richmond, Tuesday, January 7, 10 AM
- Family Fun Night at the Stanley-Boyd Community Indoor Pool: Stanley, Friday, January 24, 5 PM
- Family Fun Night at Hudson GNG Black Light Mini Golf & Jungle Gym: Hudson, Thursday, February 27, 6 PM
Green Bay & Surrounding Areas
- Family Outing at the Wisconsin Herd: Oshkosh, Saturday, February 22, 7 PM
- Gamblers Hockey Family Night Sponsored by Jockey Being Family: Green Bay, Friday, March 7, 7 PM
La Crosse & Surrounding Areas
- Snow Tubing at Whitetail Ridge Ski Sponsored by Jockey Being Family: Sparta, Sunday, January 19, 12 PM
- Parent/Caregiver Support Coffee Meet-Up: La Crosse, Saturday, February 15, 10 AM
Madison & Surrounding Areas
- Parent/Caregiver Support Coffee Meet-Up: Madison, Saturday, January 18, 10 AM
- Parent/Caregiver Support Coffee Meet-Up: Madison, Saturday, February 22, 10 AM
Milwaukee & Surrounding Areas
- Moana 2 Family Movie Event Sponsored by Jockey Being Family: Sturtevant, Wednesday, December 18, 5 PM
- Timber Ridge Waterpark Family Fun Event: Lake Geneva, Saturday, February 8, 2 PM
- Adult Adoptee Coffee Meet-Up: Greenfield, Thursday, February 13, 4 PM
- Indoor Mini-Golf Family Fun at Big Putts Sponsored by Jockey Being Family: Greenfield, Thursday, March 6, 4 PM
- Family Appreciation Night With the Milwaukee Bucks: Milwaukee, Sunday, March 16, 8 PM
Rice Lake/Superior & Surrounding Areas
- Family Fun Day at Lunda Community Center: Black River Falls, Saturday, January 11, 10 AM
- Family Bowling and Pizza Party: Chetek, Wednesday, January 15, 3:45 PM
- Family Fun Day at Christie Mountain: Bruce, Saturday, January 25, 10 AM
- Parent/Caregiver Support Coffee Meet-Up: Spooner, Tuesday, January 28, 10 AM
- Northern Pines Sled Dog Race: Iron River, Saturday, February 8, 9 AM
- Family Fun Night at Adventure Zone: Duluth, Friday, February 21, 5 PM
Wausau & Surrounding Areas
- Parent/Caregiver Support Coffee Meet-Up: Wausau, Tuesday, January 14, 9:30 AM
- Family Night Out at the Children's Imaginarium: Wausau, Saturday, February 8, 5 PM
- Spring Break Fun at Food & Farm Exploration Center Sponsored by Jockey Being Family: Plover, Friday, March 21, 10 AM
Wisconsin Dells & Surrounding Areas
- Parent/Caregiver Support Coffee Meet-Up: Baraboo, Sunday, March 2, 11:30 AM
Find the most up-to-date listing of events on the WiFCC Eventbrite Page.
Standing Support Group Offerings
Direct links to our support groups with details are listed below. Flyers for all of the ongoing support groups are located on our website. Click on the links for more details and to reserve a spot.
| To learn more about the Wisconsin Family Connections Center, visit our website. We also welcome you to connect with a member of our team by emailing info@wifamilyconnectionscenter.org or calling our toll-free number at 800-762-8063. You can also visit the Wisconsin Family Connections Center website to access Statewide and Regional staff contact information here. | | | | |
