Milwaukee – After eight years of opening their home to ten foster children, McKenna and Celia Olson have officially adopted four siblings, completing their family on the South Side. The adoption, finalized in June, was marked by a joyful gathering at Humboldt Park where the 6‑month, 5‑month, 2‑month and 9‑month olds were celebrated.
From foster care to permanent family
The Olsons closed their foster care license with the Wellpoint Care Network in May, having spent the past eight years providing a stable environment for children in need. “We have four kids now and they’ve been with us since birth. This is our family unit now and we’re grateful to be alongside the kids as they grow,” said McKenna.
Transitioning to permanent parenthood has brought new routines: staying home when a child is sick, coordinating multiple daycare drop‑offs, and planning extracurricular activities. The couple also enjoys the freedom to travel without the prior approval process required of foster parents. “One part of being a foster parent is you have to get approval if you want to go out of state,” McKenna explained, noting that they recently took the children on a vacation without such constraints.
Looking ahead as a growing family
The Olsons are eager to create lasting memories, from celebrating birthdays to sharing Thanksgiving meals with extended family and, when possible, the birth families of their children. “In my dream ideal world, I would love to have so many people around the table during Thanksgiving and birthdays and that would include the birth families of my kids,” McKenna said.
While they have moved beyond fostering, the couple reflects on the bittersweet moments of children who have moved on. “The kids that have left us, we still think about them and miss them,” McKenna shared, emphasizing the lasting impact of each child’s presence.
Wellpoint’s trauma‑informed care program
The Olson family chose to foster through Wellpoint Care Network because of its Trauma‑Informed Care Program, which equips caregivers with tools to support children who have experienced trauma. “Children who experience trauma, their brains formulate differently than children who may not have gone through trauma,” explained Emily Davis, Wellpoint’s foster care recruitment and retention supervisor.
Wellpoint’s training extends beyond foster parents to social workers, educators, police officers and other community members. Julie Scott, director of trauma‑informed strategy and practice, noted that the program was developed after recognizing that traditional mental‑health services were insufficient for a former residential boys group.
According to Davis, the goal is to keep children in a single, stable placement rather than moving them from home to home. “Providing foster parents with the training allows them to have the knowledge and ability to be that one foster parent the child needs rather than multiple,” she said.
Advice for prospective foster parents
Both McKenna and Celia stress that fostering requires flexibility and a willingness to grow alongside the children. “If you’re entering a new world, you shouldn’t be going in the same person you were,” McKenna advised.
Wellpoint’s program emphasizes compassion and patience: “Be compassionate, understanding and stick around a little longer. A child may behave a certain way because they don’t understand their trauma,” said Scott.
The Olsons remain grateful for the support they received and acknowledge that they could reopen their foster license if they chose. “Wellpoint Care Network has been a part of our life, and because of this nonprofit, our family is the way that it is,” McKenna concluded.
Original reporting: Wisconsin Watch — read the source article.
