Licensing of Child Foster Care Homes
Licensing of Child Foster Care Homes
Carlton County Public Health and Human Services offers assistance to Carlton County residents wishing to become licensed to provide child foster care in their home. Foster parents can provide a stable and loving home for children who are in need of temporary care. Licensing includes home inspections, criminal background study, and education training. Licensed foster home providers are reimbursed for their care of foster children and receive ongoing training and support.
Requirements to be a licensed provider include:
- Applicant(s) must be at least 21 years of age
- Applicant(s) must reside in Carlton County
- Applicant(s) and adult household members must be free of chemical use problems for the past two years
- Applicant(s) need to have sufficient income to meet their own needs
- Applicant(s) and household members 13 years of age and over must pass a background check
- Applicant(s) should be one year from a major life change such as marriage, divorce, birth of a first child, or a significant loss, etc.
Are you interested in learning more about becoming a licensed foster care provider? Carlton County has the need for additional licensed homes. Foster Care can be short term to long term care. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Sarah Krocka, Child Foster Care Licensor, at Carlton County Public Health & Human Services at 218-878-2579.
For more details on of family foster homes in the State of Minnesota visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services website.
Minnesota Child Foster Care Rules and Regulations
Minnesota Fire Code Fire Marshall Information Sheet Child Foster Care
Licensing Process for Child Foster Care in Minnesota MN Rule 13
Licensure and Certification of Programs For Children in Minnesota MN Rules 2960.0010-296.3340
Minnesota Statute for the Licensing and Application Process MN Statute Chapter 245A
Minnesota Statute outlining Background Studies MN Statute Chapter 245C
Mandatory Training
Children’s Mental Health Training
Children’s Mental Health Training is required by Minnesota Statute 245A.175. Required Children’s Mental Health Training
Watch the Children’s Mental Health video DHS Children’s Mental Health Video
Complete the Children’s Mental Health Learning Assessment Tool (PLAT) Personal Learning Assessment Tool – PDF
Normalcy and Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training
Normalcy and Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training is required by Minnesota Statutes section 260.212 subd.14. Required Normalcy and Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training
Watch the Normalcy and Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training video DHS Normalcy and Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training Video
Complete the Normalcy and Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard Training Verification Form NRP Verification – PDF
Training Required if Providing Care for Children Age 8 or Under
Car seat training must be complete before you can be licensed to care for a child age 8 or under. Car seat training is required by Minnesota Statute 245.18. Required Car Seat Training
Register for an in-person Children and Restraint Systems (C.A.R.S.) Register Here
Search training at DeveloptoolMN. You will need to register for an account in order to sign up for the training. You can also contract your Foster Care Social Worker at 218-879-4511, to find out about other possible C.A.R.S. training in the community or surrounding area.
Training Required if Providing Care for Children Age 5 or Under
Under Minnesota Statutes 245A.144 child foster care providers caring for infants or children through 5 years of age must be instructed and receive training on Sudden Unexpected Infant Death/Abusive Head Trauma (SUID/AHT) at least once every 5 years. Required Sudden Unexpected Infant Death & Abusive Head Trauma.
Training on Sudden Unexpected Infant Death/Abusive Head Trauma (SUID/AHT) needs to be completed if you are caring for children age 5 or younger. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) approves the following trainings. You need to watch all 6 videos and give the completed post tests to your licensor to get credit.
SUID Videos
Safe Sleep, Produced by Hennepin County(4:17) Safe Sleep
Safe Sleep Practices, Produced by Eastern Virginia Medical School (5:50) Safe Sleeping Practices
Sleep On It – Preventing Unsafe Sleeping Practices Produced by Dakota County (6:28) Sleep on It
SUID Post Test SUID Post Test – PDF
AHT Videos
Never Shake: Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome, Produced by Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (7:48) Never Shake: Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome
The Doctors – Shaken Baby Syndrome, by The Doctors Talk Show (1:48) Shaken Baby Syndrome
Forever Shaken, Produced by Brain Injury Nebraska (33:16) Forever Shaken
Complete the SUID/AHT Personal Learning Assessment Tool (PLAT) Personal Learning Assessment Tool – SUID/AHT
Under Minnesota Statutes 245A.144 MN Statute 245A.144 child foster care providers caring for infants or children through 5 years of age must be instructed and receive training on SUID/AHT at least once every 5 years.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Training
You must complete the following training within one year of receiving your license.
Watch the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Training Video (1:13:57) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Complete the FASD Personal Learning Assessment (PLAT) Personal Learning Assessment Tool – PDF
The training requirements for child foster care licensing in Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.175, MN Statute 245A.175, were amended to add an annual requirement of one hour of training on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders within the first 12 months of licensure. After the first 12 months of licensure, training on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders maybe part of the 12 hours of the required in-service training per year.
Online Training for Child Foster Care
Viewing these online trainings will count toward annual required training hours.
Children’s Mental Health: ADHD, Presented by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (57:20) Children’s Mental Health: ADHD
Children’s Mental Health: Anxiety, Presented by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (58:55) Children’s Mental Health: Anxiety
Children’s Mental Health: Depression, Presented by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (53:34) Children’s Mental Health: Depression
Children’s Mental Health: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Presented by the Minnesota Department of Human Services ( 24:36) Children’s Mental Health: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Children’s Mental Health for Resource Families: Autism, presented by Minnesota Department of Human Services (49:50) Children’s Mental Health: Autism
Caring for the Infant Experiencing Withdrawal, Presented by Becky Baker, MSN, RNC, and Megan Main, BSN, RNC, (1:50:34) Caring for the Infant Experiencing Withdrawal
Forms
Minnesota Adoption and Child Foster Care Application – PDF Adoption and Foster Care Application
Minnesota Adoption and Foster Care Individual Fact Sheet -PDF Adoption and Foster Care Individual Fact Sheet
Download Adobe Reader to complete fillable forms.