|
June 30, 2026
Child maltreatment reports involving foster parents
Maltreatment reports that are screened in involving foster parents must be assigned to the Facility Investigation track. This includes:
- Licensed foster parents, including for their own child (biological, adoptive, or custodial), regardless of whether they have a foster child currently placed with them
- Relatives who have a child placed through unlicensed emergency relative placement.
Facility investigation also includes an allegation of maltreatment by a child’s former foster parent who is no longer licensed. If a child maltreatment report involves the child (biological, adoptive or custodial) of a former foster provider who is no longer licensed, it may be screened as either a Family Assessment or Family Investigation.
Sibling Bill of Rights
The Foster Care Sibling Bill of Rights (Minnesota Statutes 260C.008) states that siblings have the right to:
(1) be placed in foster care homes with the child's siblings, when possible and when it is in the best interest of each sibling, in order to sustain family relationships;
(2) be placed in close geographical distance to the child's siblings, if placement together is not possible, to facilitate frequent and meaningful contact;
(3) have frequent contact with the child's siblings in foster care and, whenever possible, with the child's siblings who are not in foster care, unless the responsible social services agency has documented that contact is not in the best interest of any sibling. Contact includes but is not limited to face-to-face, telephone calls, text messaging, social media and other Internet use, and video calls;
(4) annually receive a telephone number, address, and email address for all siblings in foster care, and receive updated photographs of siblings regularly, by regular mail or email;
(5) participate in regular face-to-face visits with the child's siblings in foster care and, whenever possible, with the child's siblings who are not in foster care. Participation in these visits shall not be withheld or restricted as a consequence for behavior and shall only be restricted if the responsible social services agency documents that the visits are contrary to the safety or well-being of any sibling. Social workers, parents, foster care providers, and older children must cooperate to ensure regular visits and must coordinate dates, times, transportation, and other accommodations as necessary. The timing and regularity of visits shall be outlined in each sibling's service plan, based on the individual circumstances and needs of each child. A social worker need not give explicit permission for each visit or possible overnight visit, but foster care providers shall communicate with social workers about these visits;
(6) be actively involved in each other's lives and share celebrations, if they choose to do so, including but not limited to birthdays, holidays, graduations, school and extracurricular activities, cultural customs in the siblings' native language, and other milestones;
(7) be promptly informed about changes in sibling placements or circumstances, including but not limited to new placements, discharge from placements, significant life events, and discharge from foster care;
(8) be included in permanency planning decisions for siblings, if appropriate; and
(9) be informed of the expectations for and possibility of continued contact with a sibling after an adoption or transfer of permanent physical and legal custody to a relative.
(10) Adult siblings of children in foster care shall have the right to be considered as foster care providers, adoptive parents, and relative custodians for their siblings, if they choose to do so.
The Sibling Bill of Rights Commissioner’s Form (DHS 8068) is provided by child welfare agencies to a child who has siblings upon entering into foster care, any adult sibling of a child entering foster care, and the foster care provider.
|
