W.I.S.E. Up!®

From the Beginning

The mission
Create a safe place for children to express their feelings about being adopted and prepare them for the inevitable classmate’s questions, neighbor’s remark and insensitive school assignments.

“Why don’t you look like your mom?”

“Why were you adopted?”

“Where are your real parents?”

When it comes to handling questions and comments about adoption, foster and kinship care, kids need to be empowered to decide how they want to respond. W.I.S.E. Up! helps children and teens choose what they want to share about their story, if anything.

When the questions begin, W.I.S.E. Up! give kids the tools to answer.

I, as an adult who was adopted, would love to have had something like this when I was a kid.
Susan LaVigna, LCSW-C, adoption-competent therapist and adult adopted person

W.I.S.E. Up!® Products

C.A.S.E. offers in-person workshops as well as educational products – visit our online store to learn more about these products:

Store

W.I.S.E. Up!® In-Demand Webinar
W.I.S.E. Up!® Powerbook
W.I.S.E. Up!® Powerbook for Children in Foster Care
W.I.S.E. Up!® Pocket Guides

W.I.S.E. Up!® Train the Trainer

Since 2009, C.A.S.E. has trained teams of professionals from 16 agencies, both nationally and internationally, as W.I.S.E. Up!® Facilitators. To enable other professionals the ability to provide this widely-acclaimed program in their communities and to preserve its integrity, C.A.S.E. offers a “Train the Trainer” course. Download the W.I.S.E. Up!® Licensed Site and Facilitator Agreement

List of current Certified Agencies

Support W.I.S.E. Up!®

Please consider donating to support our efforts in spreading the word about W.I.S.E. Up!® and empowering more children and teens who are adopted with the tools they need to improve their confidence with answering questions about their own unique adoption story.