My name is Kori Griffiths, and I have the privilege of serving as the Foster Care Program Supervisor for Beyond Fostering at Norris, Inc. in Mukwonago, Wisconsin. We’re a private agency providing treatment-level foster care (Level 3) services throughout Wisconsin.
I’ve been supervising the program since January 2025, after several years as a Treatment Foster Care (TFC) Coordinator. My favorite part of this work is teaching new coordinators how to advocate for youth and families, and building their confidence and skill so they can make lasting impacts. I love program development — finding ways to make our services more clinical, evidence-based, and effective — but most of all, I love helping children.
Where My Story Began
My connection to foster care started long before I worked in the field. As a teenager, I had foster siblings. That experience left an imprint on me — it showed me the beauty and heartbreak of foster care all at once. Since I was young, I knew I wanted to be a counselor, but at fourteen, I didn’t yet realize how deeply foster care would become a part of that calling.
Years later, during my orientation with my first position at Norris as a young Youth Care Practitioner, I met Teresa — now my supervisor and mentor — who reignited that spark. I eventually returned to Norris to intern under her guidance, leading me to my career in foster care.
The Personal Side of Foster Care
My professional story overlaps deeply with my personal one. Before working in foster care, I became a licensed foster parent to help a child who needed permanency — someone who couldn’t safely return home and deserved stability and love. After reviewing several referrals, I welcomed a 9-year-old boy into my home. Three years later, I adopted him. He’s almost sixteen now.
He has taught me more about patience, resilience, and perspective than anyone else ever could. Teenagers can be a challenge — every parent knows that — but he is also my rock, my laughter, my reminder of why this work matters.
As a mom to both an adopted teen and a biological 5-year-old, I’ve learned there are many ways to love a child. Neither is stronger, deeper, or better — just different. Love expands to fit the story. My oldest son came into my life halfway through his, and my goal has always been to guide him with compassion — blending what he learned before me with the values I’ve instilled since. In truth, he inspires me just as much as I hope to inspire him.
What I Wish Every Foster Parent Knew
If I could tell prospective foster parents one thing about fostering older youth, it would be this:
Stop being afraid.
Older kids and teens already come with their own stories, opinions, and values — but that’s not something to fear. They can teach you more about life, strength, and human connection than most people will ever experience.
Fostering isn’t about control. It’s about creating a safe buffer to the outside world — a place where they can breathe, make mistakes, and still know they’re loved. You can’t control any child at any age, and you shouldn’t try to. What changes a child’s life isn’t your authority; it’s your consistency, your patience, and your willingness to connect.
The best foster parents I know are the ones who embrace individuality, celebrate differences, and don’t seek to mold children into something else — but rather help them discover who they already are.
Why I Believe in Our Program
When I was a foster parent, I remember the frustration of not getting calls returned during moments of crisis or confusion. In our Beyond Fostering program, we understand the system because we’ve lived it. Our coordinators answer the phone, help navigate complex systems, and advocate alongside you. We manage the background noise — the coordination, the county communication, the paperwork — so that you can focus on what matters: the child in front of you.
Take the Next Step
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could make a difference, the answer is yes — you can. Beyond Fostering provides the training, support, and partnership you need to succeed. Our team walks alongside you every step of the way, ensuring you never feel alone in the process.
Because every child deserves someone who will go beyond.
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