Children's Service Society of Wisconsin was established in 1889
to provide homes for orphaned and abandoned children. Children's Service Society is now Wisconsin's largest, private, not-for-profit, provider of child welfare services and serves children and families from 37 locations throughout Wisconsin.

1889 -- Children's Home Society of Wisconsin was founded by the Reverend J.P. Dysart.

1910 -- Societal shifts caused the agency to modernize and begin dealing more with delinquent juveniles and young adults
searching for their birth parents.

1920 -- Goals of the agency included strengthening the family, preventing out-of-home care placement and providing services to children in their own homes.

1940 -- Emphasis placed on strengthening educational programs, developing more preventative programs, increasing efforts to find foster homes for older children and developing a health program. In 1944, after four name changes, the agency became known as Children's Service Society of Wisconsin, following a merger between Children's Aid Society of Wisconsin and Children's Service Association of Milwaukee.

1950 -- Services provided included placing children in foster and adoptive homes; providing casework services to children, birth parents and foster parents; and providing birthparent counseling and child and family counseling services. Also on the rise were more children with emotional or behavioral problems who needed foster homes.

1960 -- With the emergence of the Women's Movement, more women chose to
keep their children born out of wedlock. Children's Service Society shifted its counseling programs to assist these mothers with their choices.

1970 -- More children placed in foster care or available for adoption were racial minorities. The Treatment Foster Care Program was established and a mentor program for unwed mothers began.

1980 -- Expansion of the counseling program included support groups such as divorce counseling for children and parents of hyperactive children. Counseling for bereaved parents, treatment of sexually abused children and parenting classes also became available.

1990 -- Children's Service Society's prevention programs grew rapidly and its Out-of-Home Care, Transitional Living Skills and Counseling programs served thousands of children throughout the State.

2000 -- Children's Service Society initiated a strategic planning process that examined the changes in the child welfare movement, the changes in society and the commitment needed to assist children of Wisconsin.

2004 -- Children's Service Society becomes a member of Children's Hospital and Health System.

2007 -- Children's Service Society continues to grow and add programs and services. In 2007, it served over 25,000 clients.