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Foster Care Adoption in Minnesota, Children's Home & LSS
Home / Adoption / Foster Care Adoption

Foster Care Adoption

Helping Kids in Foster Care Find Safe, Permanent Homes With Minnesota Families

Foster Care Adoption in MinnesotaOur foster care adoption program serves children under Minnesota state guardianship or community jurisdiction. The goal of this program is permanency through adoption. There is a strong need for families open to sibling groups, school-age children, and teens.

Using CH/LSS to adopt from MN Foster Care is virtually free, the vast majority of costs are paid for through a contract with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). If you are not open to children covered under this contract, fees may apply.

Ready to get started? Take one of the steps below:

Watch Required Foster Care & Foster Care Adoption Training Register for Required Foster Care & Adoption Training Classes Submit Application Part 1

Family with four brothers holds letters spelling out FamilyThe Children Awaiting Adoption

Children waiting for adoption from MN foster care have been removed from the homes of their biological families and have been placed under the care and supervision of the state. As a result of these experiences, children will likely have experienced emotional distress, abuse, and/or neglect. The children may have emotional, behavioral, and/or academic needs. According to MN DCYF, 45% of children awaiting adoption are part of a sibling group that needs to be placed together. Many children have other loved ones with whom they need to maintain connections.

Children of all ages and ethnic backgrounds are served in this program. There is a particular need for families open to parenting children ages 10-18, and sibling groups of all ages who need to remain together. Over half the children waiting for adoption are children of color. As of November 2024, there are 490 children in Minnesota in need of adoptive families immediately. Read the complete DCYF Fact Sheet, Adoption: Finding Families for Minnesota’s Waiting Children.

Three Native American girls smile and pose for the cameraMeet Children Waiting in Foster Care

There are a number of ways to learn more about children currently waiting for adoption from Minnesota foster care. You can visit our online listing to learn more about waiting children in Minnesota. Children’s Home is advocating for these children through our child-specific recruitment services.

Additionally, some of our partners post information about Minnesota’s waiting children. We encourage you to check out the MN Adopt State Adoption Exchange and the Reel Hope Project.

Note that you may inquire about a child or sibling group at any time, however, you may need to complete steps in the foster care adoption process prior to officially matching with a child. It is our hope that children will find permanency as quickly as possible and therefore the waiting children you see may not be available once you have come through the process and completed your adoption home study.

View Waiting Child Profiles Here

Foster Care Adoption Process

Training

View our Foster Care & Foster Care Adoption Training on-demand to learn more about working with us. You may find it helpful to attend the training as a first step because it provides an overview of the process and addresses details such as kids served, timelines, licensing requirements, and more. A certificate of completion is required for your application to be considered complete.

Education

Another early step to adopting from foster care is attending our Foster Care Adoption Education Classes. These classes will familiarize you with the children in foster care, their common needs, and tools to help parent. There are three class options: in-person, hybrid, or online.

Topics covered include:

  • Overview of the child welfare system
  • Impact of prenatal drug/alcohol exposure
  • Emotional injury, grief, loss, abuse & neglect
  • Attachment & behavioral health needs
  • Parenting children of different backgrounds
  • Permanency needs of older youth
  • Experiences of foster parents, foster/adopted youth & birth parents
Learn More & Register for a Foster Care & Adoption Education Class

You will continue your education as you go through the foster care adoption process. We’ve compiled a number of education resources, both mandatory and optional, on our site for your reference.

Find Educational Resources to Prepare Yourself for Foster Care Adoption

Application

You can complete Application Part 1 at any time. Before completing Application Part 2, you must complete the Foster Care Adoption Training and Education Classes. Following Application Part 2 you will complete the DCYF Application Documents. Our staff will assist you with the entire process, letting you know what documents are required of which household members.

Background Checks

As you work on your application, anyone pursuing foster care or adoption will also need to complete the appropriate background checks. Possessing a criminal record does not automatically disqualify someone from adopting from foster care, the statute around this is complex. Please contact us if you have questions about your particular circumstances.

Home Study

The home study includes several meetings with your assigned worker, including a visit to your home. A comprehensive document is created by your assigned worker, which includes information about your motivation to foster or adopt, your health, home, personal history, familial lifestyle, interests, parenting style, income, and the type of child(ren) you are open to parenting. Once you are assigned to a worker, the home study process takes about 3-4 months to complete.

Note, we are currently experiencing a 1-2 month wait to be assigned to a worker to begin the home study.

Foster Care Licensing

You will need to become a licensed foster home as part of your adoption process. This allows the child(ren) to live in your home prior to the adoption being finalized in court. You will be licensed for the purpose of adoption and you may choose to close your license once your adoption is finalized. If you are planning to adopt a child under the age of 9, additional state-mandated training is required.

The Matching Process

This part of the process allows you to learn about the needs and characteristics of a particular child or sibling group in the foster care system. Your assigned worker will work with you on exploring the strengths of your family and discuss how you might best meet the needs of that child or children. To help with your decision-making process, you will have the opportunity to meet with the child’s county worker and other significant people in their life (such as foster parents, therapists, etc.). The child’s county worker represents them in the matching process. All placement decisions are made in the best interest of the child.

Once everyone involved has made a commitment to proceed with the adoption process, pre-placement visits begin. The length and frequency of these visits depend on the age and needs of the child or children being placed.

Placement & Finalization

Placement occurs when the child moves into your home. Your assigned worker will remain in regular contact with you to support you during this adjustment period. We also encourage you to participate in our ongoing support services.

When you are ready to finalize, your adoption worker will give you the information you need to complete the legal adoption process where you live.

Post Adoption Support

Because adoption is a lifelong journey, you are encouraged to participate in ongoing education, support, events and referral services through our Post Adoption Services.

Relative & Kinship Adoption

We strongly believe that whenever possible children should remain within their family or community of origin. It can be overwhelming to unexpectedly care for children who you care about. The system can be difficult to navigate. We are here to help provide kinship and relative services based on your unique situation.

Contact Us to Learn About Our Relative/Kinship Support Services
Foster Care

Foster Care differs from Foster Care Adoption. We are able to license you for either, or both.

The goal of foster care is reunification, families open to providing foster care must be open to supporting reunification efforts.

Visit Our Foster Care Page to Learn More

Family Support Coach for Placed Families

A Service for Foster & Adoptive Families Who Need Additional Support

We offer personalized services for your entire family. Our coach will meet with you and your family to provide individualized parent coaching and help identify and access resources you may need. The service includes an initial phone consultation and up to three sessions either virtual or in-person (Twin Cities Metro). Ongoing “tune-up” sessions are available as needed.

As part of this service,  your coach will help you:

  • Increase positive interactions with your family
  • Initiate & strengthen relationships with schools, therapists, community & other professionals
  • Advocate for the needs of your family & your child(ren)
  • Develop strategies that you can use on an ongoing bases

We focus on supporting every member of your family – this is not about how you got to your current situation, but rather what you all need to build a positive, loving future together. Your family will collaborate with your coach to create mutually agreed upon goals and receive tools to be successful.

Family Support Coach Services

Please note, this is not a crisis service for emergency situations. In the case of an emergency, please contact 911 or utilize crisis behavioral health services.

Eligibility

Our Family Support Coach service is open to all foster or adoptive families, regardless of licensing or placing agency.

Availability may become limited, our Family Support Coach will notify you about any anticipated wait for service.

Service Fees

  • $350 for up to 3 sessions
  • $100 per additional session

If fees are a hinderance, please contact our Adoption Support Fund for a grant application.

Register My Family for Services

African American moms with three childrenSupport Groups for Foster Care & Adoptive Families

We welcome you to join other families to learn from and support one another. We have a variety of support groups for members of the foster care and adoption community.

Learn More

Serving All Families

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