Training information and registration process
Visit the one-stop child foster care licensing website created for foster parents, Foster parents | Hennepin County, to learn about training requirements and view the training calendar.
All requests for training registration and questions can be sent to fostercare@hennepin.us
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New training requirements
LGBTQ+
Foster parents and child welfare workers play a critical role in meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) youth. Every child or teen who enters foster care should be met by caring adults who respect and affirm their identities.
Foster parents are asked to develop the knowledge and ability to engage with children from all sorts of cultural backgrounds and communities. It is important that Hennepin County provides all foster parents with the resources and tools to build those competencies.
We are excited to work with the Human Rights Campaign to better serve the LGBTQ+ population. Hennepin County foster parents will be asked to complete two trainings offered by the Human Rights Campaign’s All Children – All Families program.
Both are 90 minute recorded webinars and can be viewed at a time that works well for you. Relatives must complete both trainings within the first year of getting licensed. Non-relatives must complete the introductory training prior to licensing and best practices within first year of getting licensed. These trainings will count towards your total required annual hours.
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Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion: This training covers foundational information related to serving LGBTQ+ youth and families. Topics include key terminology and concepts, an overview of the barriers faced by LGBTQ+ youth and families in child welfare, and the steps all service providers can take to overcome these barriers to create a welcoming environment. Going forward, new non-relative foster parents will complete this training prior to being licensed and relatives will complete it within the first year of being licensed.
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Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Youth: This training takes a closer look at the information and resources needed to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care. Topics include research on LGBTQ+ youth experiences, the rights of LGBTQ+ youth, finding LGBTQ+ affirming placements, and tools for advocacy. Going forward, all foster parents will complete this training within the first year of being licensed.
Both of the above trainings can be found at All Children - All Families: Online Learning Archive
Additional resources:
Vulnerable Adults Mandated Training
Foster parents who care for youth between ages 18 and 21 have a few additional licensing requirements that must be met. One of those requirements is the completion of a training about mandated reporting of suspected maltreatment of vulnerable adults. The training will address who must report suspected abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, information about the Vulnerable Adults Act, and how to make a report.
Foster parents who will be caring for youth ages 18 or older need to complete this training prior to the youth’s 18 birthday.
Additional Resources Used in the Adult Mandated Reporting training:
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Celebrating National Foster Care Month!
Please join us Saturday, May 18, 2024, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Veteran’s Park in Richfield (6335 Portland Avenue) for food, games, and prizes.
The event will also include a resource fair for foster parents to connect with community supports for mental health, education, LGBTQ+ youth, and more.
A few things to enjoy at the picnic include:
- Valeo’s Pizza
- Various games
- Hennepin County Mobile Library (with free book giveaways for children and youth)
- Meet live Animal Ambassadors from the MN Zoo
- Enter to win 4 tickets to the MN Zoo + free parking
- Richfield Firefighters
- Placement Coordination Center
- Child & Teen Check-up
- Foster Adopt MN (FAM)
- Family Response Stabilization Services
- Education Support Services
- VOA Wraparound
- YMCA Youth & Family Services
- The Compassion Connection
- Queer Space Collective
Stop by and say hi!
Hennepin County Foster Care and Adoption will have a booth at both Golden Valley Pride and Twin Cities Pride.
- Golden Valley Pride is Saturday, June 8, 2024 - 12 to 6 p.m. at Brookview Park (200 Brookview Pkwy N, Golden Valley, MN 55426)
- Twin Cities Pride is Friday, June 28 to Sunday, June 30, 2024 at Loring Park in Minneapolis. Times vary each day. We will be located in the “Green” zone along the lake, booth number 225
For more information visit Golden Valley Pride and Twin Cities Pride.
With summer on the horizon, we wanted to share a few free or low-cost activities for families:
- Como Zoo – Free admission
- Minnesota Zoo – Free to Explore program offers free daytime admission for qualifying guest and dependents
- Minnesota Children’s Museum – All Play program offers reduced cost tickets or $39 for an annual family membership
- Science Museum of Minnesota – reduced-cost admission and memberships
- Minnesota Landscape Arboretum – Youth 15 and under are free
- Minnesota History Center
We recommend you confirm details and eligibility with each attraction before visiting.
Steps for Healthy Swimming
Swimming is a fun and healthy way to stay physically active and spend quality time with family and friends. Protect yourself, children in care, and your friends from germs in the water! Did you know that most water related outbreaks are related to the germs found in diarrhea?
Follow these 4 easy steps to help keep germs out of the water and stay healthy:
- Stay out of the water if you have diarrhea. Do not go back in the water until 2 weeks after the diarrhea has stopped.
- Shower for 1 minute before you get in the water.
- Don’t pee or poop in the water. Take frequent bathroom breaks.
- Don’t swallow the water.
The most important safety tip of all is to make sure your children know how to swim. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Department offers free or reduced swimming lessons throughout the year. You can call them at 612-230-6400 for more information. Your local YMCA also offers a reduced cost for swimming lessons as well.
If you have questions about the children you are caring for or youth health, we can help!
The Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC) staff are experienced in finding medical and dental clinics. We can help schedule appointments and set up transportation and interpreters, when needed.
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Questions? Call or email us today!
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What is ICPC?
ICPC is the acronym, in foster care, that stands for Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. ICPC is the mechanism that ensures children in need of out of home placement to and from other states receive the same protections as children placed in care within Minnesota. It provides uniform policy and procedures by which the responsible parties in two different states may determine whether the proposed placement of a child from one state to another state, for the purpose of foster care, residential treatment or adoption is not contrary to the interests of the child. The compact also ensures protection and services to children who are placed across state lines for foster care, adoption, parental, relative and residential placements.
For us, it means that MN Department of Human Services will oversee and supervise the agreement between the county workers and the workers of the partnering state. Within the foster care system, when a relative is identified within another state, that relative must be fully licensed for foster care prior to the child moving to their home. The same is true when a child who has entered the child protection system in another state, has a relative identified within the state of MN. MN DHS is involved in every step from the time the relative is identified until permanency is established for that child. It can feel like a cumbersome process and can take months to complete, but it is a way of ensuring the safety and security of the child moving to a distant relative’s home for permanency. Our systems are in place for the protection of children within the welfare system.
Carly Cantu, who was interviewed as an adoption resource supervisor also oversees ICPC foster care licensing workers. They work with other states to send and receive referrals for relative foster care. For referrals coming in from another state, once the paperwork is completed they are assigned a foster care licensing worker. This worker finishes the licensing process and stays in contact with the other states worker to arrange placement.
For more information on this please visit Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children
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As foster parents, you know that most children in foster care return home to their families. Some are adopted by relatives or by their foster parents.
When these options aren’t possible, kids still need loving and supportive adoptive families. Many waiting children in Hennepin County are school-age or teens, or part of a sibling group. Help us spread the word and find permanent families for these youth. We are in need of loving families, like yours, who are willing to be a mentor, respite provider, foster family, or adoptive resource for these youth.
Meet Micah and Marley
Micah is a gentle, sweet, caring, and intelligent 17 year old. He is empathetic and has an outgoing, laid-back personality. Micah enjoys being active and going to the gym, exercising, texting his friends, and listening to music. Micah's favorite sport is basketball, which he enjoys playing on his school team and in his community.
Marley is an outgoing, energetic, charismatic 17 year old who has a good sense of humor. He is a happy teen who enjoys being with his friends and going to the gym. Marley enjoys playing baseball and football, but basketball is his favorite. He also enjoys spending time with his friends and listening to music.
Micah and Marley will need to maintain contact with birth family members.
“Marley and Micah are two of the most well-spoken and interesting young men I have had the chance to work with. They are a blast to talk to and get to know.” ~Marley & Micah's Child-Specific Recruiter, Christian
Please reach out to foster.adopt@hennepin.us if you are interested in learning more about Micah & Marley!
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Once you have read the Essentials, follow this link Essentials quiz to earn 1 hour of training. We will forward the quiz to your worker once we have received it.
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