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Hennepin County > Human services > Foster parents

Foster parents

Find information and resources to maintain your license and care for your foster children.

  • Learn about becoming a foster parent
  • Binti login for current foster parents
  • Foster parent guide (PDF, 6MB)

Foster care licensing

fostercare@hennepin.us

Phone: 612-348-5437

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Resources for new foster parents

Important information to support new foster parents. You will review these materials with your licensing worker.

  • Foster parent guide (PDF, 6MB)
  • Comfort call guide (PDF, 1MB)
  • Mental health emergencies
  • Age-appropriate sexual behavior
  • A guide to court proceedings for foster parents (PDF, 1MB)
  • Foster provider liability insurance (PDF, 1MB)
  • Paths to permanency: Adoption of children in foster care (PDF, 1MB)
  • Paths to permanency: Transfer of physical and legal custody of children in foster care (PDF, 1MB)
  • Relative permanency services: Reducing time in foster care (PDF, 1MB)
  • Welcoming a foster child or youth to your home (PDF, 1MB)
  • Minnesota Rules, 2960.3000-2960.3340
Updates

Family and friends referral incentives

Help us recruit new foster parents and you could earn incentive payments.

Hennepin County is piloting an incentive program for referring family and friends. The original end date of June 30, 2024 has been extended. Find full details about the program.

If you are ready to refer a family for non-relative foster care, talk to your licensing worker.

Essentials – foster parent email newsletter

Regular updates for foster parents, including policy and practice changes, training opportunities and events, guidance on caring for foster children and youth, and support and recognition for foster parents.

Foster parents receive the newsletter by email.

  • Education support services, mental health matters, celebrating National Adoption Month - November 2024
  • New car seat and swaddling laws, direct deposit and online payment vouchers - September 2024
  • Tickets for kids, support for foster parents, back to school - July 2024
  • New required training, annual foster care picnic and resource fair, free or reduced cost activities for families - May 2024
  • Respite and out-of-state travel, cell phone, foster parent picnic - March 2024
  • New training requirements and registration process, get to know us, stories on recruitment and adoption - January 2024
Training

Calendar and registration

Hennepin County foster care training calendar (PDF, 1MB)

You must register for all trainings:

  1. Email fostercare@hennepin.us and write “Training Registration” in the subject line
  2. Provide the name of your Hennepin County Foster Care Licensing Worker in the body of the email
  3. Provide the complete name of the training(s) you want to register for

Training requirements

Foster care training requirements depend on the stage of licensure — initial, first year, or ongoing — and whether you are a relative or non-relative foster care provider. Find the requirements that apply to you below. If you have questions, consult your licensor.

All training must be completed before your relicensing or annual review due date. It is recommended that you start taking training right after your annual/relicensing review is completed each year.

Record your training on the Foster care provider record of training (PDF, 1MB).

Initial license training requirements

Relative

  • Nuts & Bolts: Foster Care the Hennepin Way
  • Introduction to Children’s Mental Health
  • Prudent Parenting
  • Mandated Reporter
  • Basic Education for Safe Travel (BEST) car seat training – if fostering children under 8 years old
  • Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID)/Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) – if fostering children under 6 years old

Non-relative

  • Nuts & Bolts: Foster Care the Hennepin Way
  • Introduction to Children’s Mental Health
  • Prudent Parenting
  • Cultural Issues in Parenting (Must request a Foster Parent College account.)
  • Discipline in Foster Care
  • Developmental Impact of Trauma
  • Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion
  • Mandated Reporter
  • Basic Education for Safe Travel (BEST) car seat training – if fostering children under 8 years old
  • Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID)/Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) – if fostering children under 6 years old

First year after initial license training requirements

Relative 

  • Nuts & Bolts: Foster Care the Hennepin Way (if not completed at initial license)
  • Foster Parent Guide test
  • Cultural Issues in Parenting (Must request a Foster Parent College account.)
  • Discipline in Foster Care
  • Developmental Impact of Trauma
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
  • 1 hour of Mental Health training from options on the training calendar
  • Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion
  • Best Practices for serving LGBTQ+ Youth
  • Mandated Reporter

Non-relative 

  • Foster Parent Guide test
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
  • 1 hour of Mental Health training from options on the training calendar
  • Child protection and foster care court system
  • MAPCY
  • Best Practices for serving LGBTQ+ Youth
  • Mandated Reporter
  • 1 hour minimum from in-person list on the training calendar

Ongoing training requirements - after the first year

For relatives and non-relatives

12 training hours minimum required each year

  • 5 hours minimum from the In-Person training options listed on Hennepin County’s foster care training calendar
  • 1 hour of Mental Health training must be completed every year
  • 1 hour of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder training must be completed every year
  • Mandated Reporter training must be completed every year
  • Vulnerable Adult Mandated Training - must be completed prior to a foster youth turning 18

You may count up to six hours combined from the following categories:

  • Up to three hours of relevant reading or videos of your choice, related to the needs of foster children
  • Up to three hours individual training such as special staffings or meetings about a child in your care
  • Up to six hours from the online video options listed on Hennepin County’s foster care training calendar
Support

Immediate, in-person support and stabilization for foster families

Family Response offers immediate in-person support and stabilization for children and youth and their caregivers.

If you feel overwhelmed by your foster child’s mental, behavioral, or emotional needs, Family Response can help. There are no specific criteria required to initiate Family Response, but concerns may include children or youth who are: 

  • Having a hard time with a family member or change in the home
  • Showing aggression or anger
  • Feeling down or less engaged 
  • Experiencing worry and concern
  • Having issues at school

The goal of Family Response is to keep youth and families – including foster families – stable at home by helping you determine and connect to the support you need to thrive.

Call Family Response

  • 612-979-9511
  • Available 24/7

More about Family Response

Concurrent Families support group

  • For Hennepin County families, facilitated by Adoptive Foster Kinship Connections
  • Second Monday of the month, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
  • If you'd like to attend, ask your licensor for more information.

Additional support groups

Find more resources from Adoptive Foster Kinship Connections, including calendar of support groups.

Forms

Financial

  • Foster care provider direct deposit enrollment
  • Online invoice
  • Miscellaneous expense voucher (PDF, 1MB)

Respite

  • Respite reimbursement form (PDF, 1MB)
  • Child questionnaire for respite care (PDF, 1MB)

Other

  • Incident report form (PDF, 1MB)
  • Resource family and caseworker visit discussion tool (PDF, 1MB)
  • Medical monitoring equipment training (PDF, 1MB)
  • Foster care minimum clothing standard (DOCX, 1MB)
  • Certification of foster child status for school lunch or food program (PDF, 1MB)
Northstar Care for Children

Northstar Care for Children helps children in foster care grow up in safe and permanent homes. It provides medical and financial benefits for children in foster care and for eligible children finding permanency through an adoption or transfer of permanent legal and physical custody to a relative.

Learn more from the Minnesota Department of Human Services – Northstar Care for Children: Encouraging safe, permanent homes (PDF, 1MB)

Northstar payment rates

The Northstar basic payment is set by a child’s age and provides for a child’s food, clothing, shelter and daily supervision.

Beyond the basic payment, Northstar also has a supplemental payment that provides for the extra care and attention for many children and youth who are placed in foster, relative care or adoptive placements. This supplemental benefit level is determined by the Minnesota Assessment of Parenting for Children and Youth (MAPCY).

2023-2024 rates (PDF, 1MB)

2024-2025 rates (PDF, 1MB)

MAPCY (Minnesota Assessment of Parenting for Children and Youth)

Learn more about MAPCY from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

  • Q and A for foster care providers (DOCX, 1MB)
  • Prep sheet cover letter (DOCX, 1MB)
  • Foster parent prep sheet (DOCX, 1MB) – an optional worksheet for foster parents to complete in preparation for MAPCY assessment
  • Survey cover letter (DOCX, 1MB)
  • Survey for foster parents (DOCX, 1MB)

For more information or assistance, talk with your placement or licensing social worker.

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