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Hennepin County, Minnesota

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Licensed foster parents

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

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Phone numbers

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

For a child’s mental health emergency, call 612-348-2233.

For suspected child mistreatment or after-hours emergency, call 612-348-3552.
Learn more about child protection services.

If you can't reach your licensing worker, call the coverage line at 612-348-9091.

For reimbursement or other financial information, call accounting at 612-348-3406.

File a report

Refer to the Foster Parent A-Z Guide for specific descriptions of circumstances that require reports.

Incident report

Document any injuries involving your foster child, as well as behavioral concerns, illnesses and more, as noted in the A-Z Guide. Submit completed incident reports to your licensing worker.

Complete an incident report form (PDF)

Child protection reports

Make a report if you suspect a foster child is being neglected or abused. 

Police reports

Call 911 if anyone is in immediate danger.

Also call police if a child runs away or noncustodial parent takes a child. Contact your foster care licensing worker and the child’s placing worker, and complete an incident report.

Training and support groups

Annual training requirements

Licensed foster parents must complete 12 hours of training each year. This includes at least five hours of trainings led by Hennepin County. Talk with your licensing worker to make sure any outside training meets licensing requirements.

Hennepin County training calendar

Support for families

For information about these groups, email fostercare@hennepin.us. 

Foster families

Last Wednesday of the month, 6 to 8 p.m.

  • No registration necessary
  • Ideas and resources from other foster parents
  • As many as three training credits a year for attending

Hennepin County Library – Brookdale (Creekside Room)

6125 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center

Map

Foster families considering adoption (concurrent families)

Second Monday of each month, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Lenox Community Center

6715 Minnetonka Boulevard, St. Louis Park

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Newsletter for foster parents

Licensed foster care providers can get the Essentials newsletter quarterly by email or text message. 

  • Get the newsletter by email or text
  • The newsletter comes out quarterly
  • Sign up by talking with your licensing worker 

Supporting youth in transition

Foster parents can help young people navigate their responsibilities and opportunities as they approach adulthood.

Plan for change

Youth transition conference

Young people in foster care have an opportunity to participate in a youth transition conference. Foster parents may be asked to participate as well.

A youth transition conference is a series of meetings for youth and their circles of support for the purpose of helping them discuss their new responsibilities and opportunities, and to  prepare for independent living. Starting at about age 16, youth drive the meetings, with help from a neutral facilitator. Typically, follow up meetings monitor progress, provide accountability and adapt the plan to the youth's changing needs.

This process helps young people:

  • Develop a vision of their future, instead of seeing only the here and now

  • Learn how to set goals, accomplish tasks and monitor results

  • Challenge themselves by trying new things and making their own decisions

  • Recognize their strengths, capacities and a sense of control over their lives

  • Develop and stay connected to a network of supportive people 

View a video about Youth in Transition Conferencing.

Extended Foster Care

Young people who are in foster care on their 18th birthdays qualify for extended foster care services. They may stay in traditional foster care settings or move to supervised independent living settings.  

Find requirements and program information.

Explore other resources for youth

SELF funds

A flexible fund can help young people pay for expenses such as drivers ed, travel to visit relatives, college visits, etc. The SELF program offers many other resources for youth. 

Learn more about the SELF Program.

Grants for postsecondary education and training

  • Grants are available to foster youth for post-high school education and training 
  • Grants cover tuition, books, housing, child care, transportation and living expenses 

Learn more about the Minnesota Education and Training Voucher Program. 

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