Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Hennepin County

Foster Parent Guide

Formerly known as the A to Z Guide

February 2023

Hennepin County

Children and Family Services

Foster Care Licensing

hennepin.us/fosterparents

2 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

How to use this guide 4

Where to call 5

Meet the team 6

Primary members of the team 6 Additional members of the team 9

Section 1: Parenting foster children and youth 10

Prudent parenting 10

Supervision 10

Transportation 11

Overnights 12

Culture 12

Discipline 12

Sexual boundaries 13

Clothing 13

Hair and hygiene 15

Piercings and tattoos 15

Lessons 15

Driver’s license and driver’s education 16

Sports and recreational equipment 16

School information 17

Independent Living Skills (ILS) programs 18

Youth in Transition Conference (YTC) 20

Foster children as babysitters 20

Section 2: Home and vehicle safety 21

Beds and bedrooms 21

Crib safety 22

Playpens or pack-n-plays 22

SUID (Sudden Unexpected Infant Death) 22

Safely soothing teething pain 23

Fire safety 23

Carbon monoxide detectors 23

Guns and other weapons 24

Smoking in foster homes 24

Car safety 24

Car seats 25

Pets 25

Phone 25

Moving 26

Internet and foster children 26

Social media 26

Television and video games 27

Section 3: Foster parent requirements and licensing process 28

Agreement between foster parents

and placement agency 28

Conﬁdentiality 28

Training 29

SUIDS/AHT training 31

Fingerprinting 32

Relicensing 32

Evaluations 32

Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Contents

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Section 4: Foster parent support 33

Respite and substitute care 33

Vacations 36

Family Response and Stabilization Service 36

Support groups 36

Self-care 37

Essentials newsletter 37

Babysitters 38

Section 5: Partnering with the county, court, tribes, and guardian ad litem 39

Abuse and neglect reporting 39

Child Protection System 39

Court 41

Guardian ad litem 41

Indian Child Welfare Act 41

Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act 42

Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) 42

Transfer of Permanent Legal and

Physical Custody (TPLPC) 42

Concurrent Families 43

Section 6: Placement process 44

The placement process 44

Preplacement visits 48

Out of Home Placement Plan 48

Initial foster care phone calls (comfort calls) 49

Supervised visits 50

Home visits 51

Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) 52

Section 7: Financial 53

Northstar Care for Children 53

MAPCY 53

Financial information 54

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 55

Miscellaneous expenses 56

Phone expenses 56

WIC (Women, Infants & Children —

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program) 56

Section 8: Medical 57

Medical and dental care 57

Medical and dental emergencies 57

Medical coverage 58

Managed Health Care Advocates 60

Medical equipment 60

Medication and prescriptions 61

Prescription payments 61

Section 9: Emergencies and other incidents 62

Emergencies 62

Incident Reports 63

Complaints 64

Complaints against foster families 66

Insurance coverage 69

Runaway/missing children 70

Appendix 71

A: DHS Agreement 71

B: Hennepin County discipline policy 76

C: Paper voucher 78

D: Invoice 79

E: Online invoicing user guide 80

F: Respite provider/substitute caregiver

information form instructions 85

G: Respite reimbursement form instructions 86

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How to use this guide

As a foster parent, you do so

much to support children and

families in our community.

This guide contains important information

about foster care requirements,

expectations, and policies, as well as

guidance to help you best meet the

needs of foster children and youth.

If you are viewing on screen, click on an

entry in the contents (page 2–3) to be

taken to that page. Clicking on the footer

will take you back to the contents page.

The most current version of this guide will

be available at hennepin.us/fosterparents.

If you have questions about any of the

content, ask your licensor.

Thank you for the

commitment you’ve

made to Hennepin County

children and families.

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Where to call

County (including workers’ phone numbers) 612-348-3000

Emergencies after hours (evenings, weekends and holidays) 612-348-3552

To report abuse or neglect, call Child Protection 612-348-3552

Training coordinator, class registration and class cancellations 612-348-5840

Accounting problems or billing questions 612-348-3445

Cope (mental health emergencies) 612-596-1223

Family Response Stabilization Services 612-979-9511

(immediate in-person support, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. daily)

Front Door (

voluntary Hennepin County social service programs and

612-3 4 8 - 4111

connections to community organizations)

Inquiries about becoming a foster parent 612-348-KIDS (5437)

Other important phone numbers

Juvenile Court information 612-348-5089

Minnesota Joint Underwriting Association 651-222-0484

Minnesota Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (Mn NEMT) 1-866-467-1724

Oﬃce of the Ombudsperson for Families 1-888-234-4939

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 1-

800-638-2772

www.cpsc.gov

WIC (Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program)

612-348-6100

Health care phone numbers

Medical EVS — Eligibility Veriﬁcation System 651-431-2670

Pre-Paid Medical Assistance Programs (PMAP):

Hennepin Health Plan 1-800-HHP-0550

U Care Minnesota 612-676-3200

Blue Plus 651-662-6013

Health Partners Care 952-967-7998

Managed Health Care Advocates Hotline 612-596-8860

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Meet the team

Every child needs a safe, stable

and nurturing environment

to reach their full potential.

For children in foster care, all

of the adults responsible for

children’s well-being must

function as a team.

This section provides a brief description of the

various team members involved when a child

is in out of home placement. Primary members

of the team include the foster child(ren), foster

parent(s), Child Service Worker (CSW), Child

Protection Social Worker (CPSW), and the Foster

Care Licensing Social Worker (FCLSW). Secondary

members may also have contact with you over

the period of the child’s placement.

Within 30 days of placement, some or all primary

members of the team will meet in person to

complete the following:

• The Minnesota Assessment of Parenting

for Children and Youth (MAPCY) which is a

standard assessment tool for evaluating the

required level of care for a child or youth

in foster care placement. See Minnesota

Assessment of Parenting for Children and

Youth or MAPCY.

• The Out of Home Placement Plan (OFPP)

which identiﬁes the goals and responsibilities

of the parents, the child(ren), the child’s worker

and the foster parents. See Out of Home

Placement Plan.

Primary members

of the team

Foster children

• Foster children and youth have often been

through a lot, including experiences of severe

neglect, physical or sexual abuse, and exposure

to other traumatic situations.

• Foster children typically need more supervision

than their peers, particularly during the early

phases of out of home placement.

• Some foster children may need to learn the

basics of personal hygiene, social skills and

daily routines. They may not have had the

same experiences and opportunities as many

other children their age.

• Children who have been sexually abused or

neglected may have to learn appropriate ways

to give and receive aﬀection.

• Some, but not all, children who have been

physically abused or neglected may be

aggressive or withdrawn and need to learn

how to get their needs met in socially

acceptable ways.

• Foster children may demonstrate diﬃcult

behaviors, which may continue for some time.

It is important that foster parents understand

their foster child’s behaviors within the context

of the trauma that they have experienced.

Many foster children will beneﬁt from therapy

or other mental health services.

• Many foster children will need special

academic help.

• Some children in foster care are medically

fragile, with numerous medical appointments

and special equipment.

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• Other foster children have multiple

developmental disabilities requiring

behavior management programs and/or

needed therapies.

• Many foster children are remarkably resilient.

All foster children have their own strengths,

talents and interests, and want trusted adults

to help them pursue their dreams.

Parents

• Parents of children in foster care may be

struggling with substance use, homelessness,

emotional concerns, or mental health.

• Parents are expected to be working on a case

plan to deal with the concerns that brought

them into Child Protection so their family can

be reunited.

• It is important to encourage and develop a

working relationship with children’s parents

and, in some cases, extended families.

Working together beneﬁts the children

placed in your home.

• One of the best ways for a foster parent

to help a foster child is by maintaining an

accepting attitude towards the child’s parents.

Encouragement, respect and kindness

to the child’s parents promote greater

communication and empathy.

• Remember that your role is to care for the

children placed in your home. Appropriate

boundaries are essential to maintaining a

healthy relationship with the children’s families.

If ﬁnancial or emotional support is requested

of you, direct the family member (parents or

otherwise) to their assigned Child Protection

Social Worker.

• Some parents of children with disabilities may

utilize foster care as a resource because they

need a break from the demands of caring for

the child.

Foster parents

In addition to providing a child with food,

clothing, shelter, cleanliness, medical and dental

care, transportation and schooling, being a foster

parent requires commitment, understanding,

patience and a lot of responsibility.

Foster parents are expected to be familiar with

the contents in:

1. The Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

2. Minnesota Department of Human Services

Rule 2960, foster care licensing rule

3. Agreement between Foster Parents and

Placement Agency (DHS 0139)

4. Foster child’s Out of Home Placement Plan;

request a copy from the Child Protection

social worker

5. Essentials, the Hennepin County foster

parent email newsletter

6. All correspondence from Hennepin County

All foster parents, including relative/kin foster

parents, must follow foster care statutes, rules

and policies.

• As part of the team, you are responsible for

carrying out your part of the Out of Home

Placement Plan (also known as OHPP).

• You are responsible for communicating

information or observations about your

foster child to the child’s worker. You are

also expected to ﬁle Incident Reports. See

Incident Reports.

• Any time there are changes in your home,

tell your licensing worker. This includes changes

in employment, plans to move, problems

or illnesses and hospitalizations within your

own family, anyone who has moved into or

out of your home or is staying in your home,

and other responsibilities that you didn’t

previously have.

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• There may be many diﬀerent social workers

involved with your foster child and foster

parents are expected to stay in communication

with each of them.

See Child Protection System.

Foster care licensing social worker

• Licensing workers are responsible for making

licensing recommendations to the Minnesota

Department of Human Services. They need

to assure that foster families and their homes

meet licensing standards set by the state and

the county.

• Your licensing worker will get to know your

family members’ life experiences and lifestyle,

and your thoughts and perspectives on raising

children. This information is used in matching

foster children to your family.

• Your licensing worker will meet with you

several times a year to provide support and

information and to review compliance with

Rule 2960.

During annual reviews and relicensing home

visits, you and your licensing worker will discuss

the placements you have had during the past

year, and set goals for the upcoming year based

on the types of children you would like to care

for. You will develop a training plan. You will have

paperwork to complete together.

Your licensing worker is also responsible for

conducting licensing complaint investigations.

Licensors are prompted to complete an

investigation when they observe something that

may be in direct conﬂict with Rule 2960 or when

a maltreatment report has been made.

Your licensing worker provides support and

encouragement to you and your family.

Please make yourself available to meet with your

licensing social worker as needed and complete

all necessary paperwork as requested. Licensing

social workers and foster parents are required to

complete the necessary paperwork to ensure

licensing is completed in a timely manner and to

ensure that the license remains in good standing.

Teamwork with your licensing social worker is

very important.

Child placing worker

When the county is working with parents to

reunify a family, the Child Protection social worker

is the primary child placing worker. Sometimes

a child will also have a Child Services worker

involved during that time to focus speciﬁcally on

the child’s needs.

If a parent’s rights have been terminated (See

Termination of Parental Rights), the Child

Protection social worker will cease working

with the parent and the primary child placing

worker will be a Child Services worker, Children’s

Mental Health case manager, or DD social worker,

depending on the child’s speciﬁc circumstances.

• The child’s placing worker decides which

of the referred foster families a child will be

placed with.

• The child’s placing worker will provide you

with information about the child’s needs

and services.

• The child’s placing worker is responsible

for completing and sharing the Out of

Home Placement Plan. See Out of Home

Placement Plan.

• The child’s placing worker is the person you

contact for authorizing things such as the

foster child’s services, visits, haircuts, etc.

• During the child’s placement in your home, the

child’s placing worker is expected to visit the

child monthly. This worker will also talk with

you about the Out of Home Placement Plan

about how it is progressing.

• The child placing worker’s role is to make sure

the medical, educational, social and emotional

needs of the child are being met. This worker

will also ensure that you have the resources

and information you need to help the child.

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Additional members of the team

Placement support staﬀ

During the ﬁrst 30 days that a child initially enters

out of home placement, this team of social

workers is available to serve children. The goal

of the placement support team is to ensure that

there are no gaps in needed support at this

critical point in time for children. The placement

support team is there to increase information-

sharing between parents and foster providers.

They are available to make sure that children’s

immediate needs can be met during the

transition into foster care.

Kinship social workers

The role of the kinship worker includes:

• Completing a search for relative resource

options, including other possible relative

placement options. If you are a non-

relative provider, a kinship search will occur

simultaneously although the child(ren) may

have a current placement in your home.

• In cases where a relative placement option

exists, the kinship worker completes

preliminary background screening, observes

the relative’s home, and completes emergency

relative placement paperwork when the

department has made the decision to place

with a relative.

• Kinship workers then send the information on

to a foster care licensing worker to continue

with the licensing process.

• Kinship workers work to identify multiple

extended family members and kin who could

either be placement options for a child or who

may want to be involved in a child’s life.

Adoption resource workers

• Following termination of parental rights (See

Termination of Parent Rights), the goal is to

ﬁnd a permanent adoptive family for a child.

Adoption resource workers are responsible for

recruiting adoptive families (if needed) and for

completing the adoption process.

Children’s Mental Health case

managers and Developmental

Disability case managers

• In some cases, children have unique needs

that are best met when social workers who

specialize in children’s mental health or

developmental disabilities are there to assist

the team. A child placed in your home may

work with one of these case managers in

addition to other team members.

Extended Foster Care

social workers

• When youth age 17 ½ are in foster care, they

are referred to Extended Foster Care. Extended

Foster Care is a support available to eligible

foster youth after age 18. If you are caring for

a youth who is nearing age 18, an Extended

Foster Care worker will be assigned.

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Section 1

Parenting foster children and youth

Help the kids in your care with

basic needs, healthy behaviors,

and appropriate boundaries.

Children and youth build

conﬁdence and resilience with

opportunities to learn and grow.

Prudent parenting

Federal and state law require that foster children

be allowed to participate in the same socially and

developmentally appropriate activities as their

peers who are not in care.

The reasonable and prudent parent standard

refers to careful and sensible parenting that

maintains the safety, health, cultural, religious,

and tribal values and best interest of a child,

while encouraging emotional and developmental

growth. A foster parent uses this standard when

deciding whether a foster child may participate in

a particular activity.

When considering the implementation of this

standard, consider the following:

• The child’s chronological age vs. maturity and

developmental level

• Risk of activity

• Best interest of the child

• Importance of the experience for the child’s

psychosocial growth

• Importance of a family-like experience

• Behavioral history of the child

• Wishes of the child’s parent/legal guardian, as

appropriate (i.e., only when the child’s parents

are involved in the child’s case as designated in

the Out of Home Placement Plan.)

These guiding points must be used when foster

parents are considering to allow foster children

to engage in activities such as recreational events

(e.g. camping, boating, swimming, movies, video

games), school and extracurricular opportunities

(e.g. sports, theater, band), overnights, and

planned outings (e.g. sleep-over with friends),

social media, driving, babysitting, attending

college tours, and so on.

Supervision

In some cases, children who come into foster care

may have had inadequate supervision in the past.

They may have experienced neglect and may be

used to parenting themselves or younger siblings.

Some children may have self-care skills that are

either delayed or advanced compared to their

chronological age. Regardless, you must provide

a high level of supervision to foster children in

your care. Foster parents need to be able to adjust

their expectations based on each individual child’s

unique needs.

Guidelines for supervision

Infants and young children may not be:

• Left in the care of another foster child

• Left in the home alone

• Left to cry without being checked on

• Allowed to ride in the car without a car seat

• Left alone in a car

• Left in the bath tub unsupervised

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• Left in the yard unsupervised

• Left in a highchair, swing, walker or other

equipment unattended

• Left to care for a younger child

• Out of your sight in a public setting

School-aged children may not be:

• Left alone in a car

• Allowed to ride in a car without a seat belt

(or booster seat until they are age 9 or are

4 feet 9 inches tall)

• Allowed access to chemicals or

medical products

• Left to care for younger children

• Left alone in the home overnight

• Left alone In a public setting without

appropriate adult supervision

• Allowed to use the internet unsupervised.

See Internet and Foster Children.

Teenagers may not be:

• Allowed to ride in a car without a seat belt

• Left alone overnight

• Left to care for younger children if you are

unsure of their capabilities

• Allowed to babysit other foster children

• Allowed to spend the day alone without you

knowing speciﬁcally where they are.

Transportation

Foster parents are expected to transport children

as part of regular care. The monthly foster

care reimbursement amount includes routine

transportation for children. Routine transportation

includes transporting the child to and from:

• Day care

• Other appointments you agreed to in

the Out of Home Placement Plan.

See Out of Home Placement Plan

• Respite

• School activities, open houses

and conferences.

• Visits with parents, siblings or others

family members.

Foster parents are expected to transport children

to medical, dental and therapy appointments

as well. Reimbursement is available for mileage

and parking expenses for foster children’s

medical, dental and therapy appointments. This is

arranged through MNET or the child’s PMAP. Taxi

fare is reimbursable only if approved in advance

by the placing worker. See Medical coverage.

Planning for transportation needs

Prior to accepting a child for placement, you must

discuss the following with the child’s worker:

• Your responsibilities for transporting each child

to family visits. For example, you should know

if the child is to visit both parents, whether

the parents visit together at one visit or at

two separate visits, how frequent the visits

will be, whether there are sibling visits and

the frequency of them. See Supervised Visits.

• How often the child needs transporting

to appointments for medical care or

counseling/therapy.

• If the child has any unusual medical and

or dental needs. If so, how often are the

appointments and where are they?

• The Out of Home Placement Plan should

outline your responsibilities regarding

transportation and you should be asked to sign

the Out of Home Placement Plan. If you have

any questions about what is being asked of

you, call your licensing worker before signing

the Out of Home Placement Plan.

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• After you sign the Out of Home Placement

Plan listing the number of visits you are

responsible for, the child’s worker may ask

you to do additional visits or additional

transportation if the court orders them. We

encourage you to be ﬂexible and consider

supporting this transportation in the child’s

best interest. The child’s worker would then

revise the next Out of Home Placement Plan

to reﬂect the increased number of visits, and

you would sign the revised copy.

Transportation assistance

There may be times where you have a conﬂict

that prevents you from being able to provide

transportation. If you will need assistance with

transportation for a foster child, contact the

child’s placing worker as soon as you can. In some

cases, limited assistance may be available from

county staﬀ or contracted private transportation

providers. If contracted transportation services are

provided to a child in your home, it is important

that you keep the information given to you about

what company is providing the transportation

in the event that you need to cancel a

scheduled trip.

Overnights

Apply the reasonable prudent parenting standard

when making decisions about allowing a foster

child to spend a night away, with a friend or

on an overnight extracurricular activity such

as a ﬁeld trip. Use the same good judgment in

determining whether the setting is appropriate

for an overnight and whether the child is mature

enough. It is best practice to inform the child’s

social worker whenever such plans are made.

If the foster child will be staying overnight at

another foster home, that foster home’s licensing

worker must give prior approval.

When in the best interests of a child, the agency

can authorize overnights outside of licensed

homes as part of the case planning. This includes:

• Relatives who are interested in participating in

the care and planning for a child and helping

to maintain a child’s familiar and regular

activities and contact with friends and relatives.

• Natural family support of a foster family.

Overnights are not considered respite care, and

can’t be paid as respite, unless the child is staying

overnight in a licensed foster home and the

overnight was approved 10 days prior.

See Respite and substitute care

Culture

Foster parents care for children from diverse

cultural backgrounds. Consider how you can

best support the cultural needs of the children

in your home.

• Increase your knowledge of diﬀerent cultural

groups by attending community events

and foster parent training sessions, and by

developing connections with individuals

from diverse cultures.

• Create an atmosphere in your home that

reﬂects an appreciation of diverse cultures.

• Celebrate holidays and share foods enjoyed

by diﬀerent cultural groups.

• Take the time to learn about your foster

children’s cultural background and experiences.

Provide books, toys, music, food, and

experiences that aﬃrm the value of each

child’s unique cultural background.

Discipline

Foster parents must complete a Child Foster

Care Discipline Policy, agreeing to abide by

MR 2960.3080 Subp 8 about Discipline. See

Appendix B: Child Foster Care Discipline Policy.

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Sexual boundaries

• Foster families must have clear sexual

boundaries. Clearly state what kinds of touch

are not okay in your home. Make sure you also

review this information with babysitters.

• You must avoid innocent touching that a child

who experienced sexual abuse may interpret as

being sexual (such as having a foster child give

you a massage).

• Clearly explain your family privacy rules

including privacy during bathing, toileting

and dressing.

• Use good judgement regarding the nature of

video, audio, computer and written materials

to which foster children are exposed.

• Under no circumstances should foster parents

engage in sexual behavior or relationships with

the foster child’s family or kin.

Clothing

It is required that a portion of the monthly

reimbursement be used to maintain the child’s

clothing. Foster parents are expected to budget

this money for future clothing needs, including

a winter jacket, boots, snow pants, mittens,

and scarf.

Clothing inventory

• Inventory children’s clothing and belongings

when they are placed in your home and when

they leave.

• The inventory should include any items you

purchased with an initial clothing allowance

and the cost of each item.

• Keep a copy pf the inventory and the receipts.

Initial clothing allowance

• Not all children will need an initial

clothing allowance.

• If the child does not come with a wardrobe

that meets the Foster Child Minimum Clothing

Standard, an initial clothing allowance may be

issued for the child.

• It is rare for the maximum amount of an initial

clothing allowance to be issued.

• A clothing allowance is issued to get you

started for the season that the child moves

to your home, not for the entire year.

• The initial clothing allowance must be

requested within 30 days of the child’s initial

placement in foster care.

• The amount of the initial clothing allowance

will be determined by the child’s worker and

it will depend upon the needs of the child.

• If an initial clothing allowance is approved,

you will be issued a check for an appropriate

amount to purchase the needed clothing.

• You are required to save the receipts and

identify each item on the receipt.

The initial clothing allowance maximums change

annually and are based on a child’s age.

Maintaining the child’s wardrobe

Foster parents must maintain an adequate

wardrobe for each foster child for as long as

the child is in the foster home. See Foster

Child Minimum Clothing Standard below. You

must replace clothing before it wears out or is

outgrown. You must use portions of the monthly

reimbursement check to add to and maintain

clothing throughout the year. If you buy used

clothing, it must ﬁt properly and be in excellent

condition, with no stains or tears. If you plan to

care for a teenager, discuss clothing during the

preplacement visit. Decide whether the child will

shop for their own clothes, how often the child

will be given money, and the amount to be given

each time.

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Foster care minimum

clothing standard

Below is the minimum wardrobe that you must

maintain for each foster child while the child

is living in your home. It is also what you must

send with the child when they leave your home,

whether the child is going to another foster

home, relative, adoptive home or facility, or will

be returning home or living independently.

Infants (under 12 months)

7 – 10 outﬁts

7 onesies or t-shirts

1 pair of shoes

1 outﬁt for special occasions

1 coat appropriate for season; snow pants, hat,

scarf and mittens if winter discharge

1 comb or hairbrush

1 duﬀel bag or suitcase

1 diaper bag containing: 1 bottle, 6 disposable

diapers, 1 blanket, 1 bib, 1 unopened can

of formula

Any gifts given to the child while in foster care

Age 1 through 11

7 underpants

7 pairs of socks

5 tops

2 sweatshirts or sweaters

5 pants/shorts

2 pairs of shoes

2 sleep wear outﬁts

1 outﬁt for special occasions

1 coat appropriate for season; snow pants, hat,

scarf and mittens if winter discharge

1 toothbrush

1 book bag for school-aged children

1 comb or hairbrush

1 duﬀel bag or suitcase

Any gifts given to the child while in foster care

Age 12 through 18

7 underpants

7 pairs of socks

5 tops

2 sweatshirts or sweaters

5 pants/shorts

2 pairs of shoes

2 sleep wear outﬁts

1 outﬁt for special occasions

1 coat appropriate for season; snow pants, cap,

scarf and mittens if winter discharge

1 toothbrush

1 backpack

1 comb or hairbrush

2 bras (girls)

1 duﬀel bag or suitcase

Any gifts given to the child while in foster care

When a child leaves your care:

Regardless of where the foster child moves, you

must send along:

• A complete wardrobe of clothing that ﬁts well

and is in good repair, and that meets or exceeds

the Foster Care Minimum Clothing Standard.

• Anything the birth parents have given the child.

• Any gifts the child has received while in

your care.

• Anything that was purchased and reimbursed

by a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher, such

as a bike or sports equipment.

On the day a child leaves your care, complete the

Foster Care Minimum Clothing Standard form

available at www.hennepin.us/fosterparents.

Give a copy to the child’s placing worker.

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Hair and hygiene

• Foster children may need assistance with

washing, bathing, brushing and ﬂossing

teeth, hair and skin care, toileting habits

and menstrual hygiene. You must provide

the necessary supplies for the children and

assistance as needed.

• Foster parents are responsible for keeping foster

children’s hair clean and neat.

• Foster parents may not consent to foster

children’s haircuts, permanents, relaxers or other

chemical processes without permission from

the child’s parent or guardian, obtained by the

child’s worker.

• If you are caring for a child with textured hair

and you have limited experience with styling,

detangling, and washing the child’s particular

hair type, be sure to ask your licensing worker,

check websites, or attend a Hennepin County

training on the topic.

• If you have a foster child who is a diﬀerent

race from you and you are unfamiliar with the

special products they may need for hair or

skin care, contact the child’s worker. In some

cases, the worker may approve reimbursement

for these products. If you receive approval

for reimbursement, submit a completed

Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher with

attached receipts to the child’s placing worker.

Piercings and tattoos

Foster parents may not give permission for a

foster child’s piercings (including ear piercings)

or tattoos without written permission from the

child’s parent, guardian, or court order obtained

by the child’s worker.

Lessons

An allowance of up to $10 per month may be

allowed for a foster child’s lessons. These include,

but are not limited to:

• Music lessons.

• Other special lessons

• Community activities

Authorization of these expenditures must include:

• That the lessons are part of the child’s

casework plan.

• Prior approval by the child’s worker’s supervisor.

If these expenses are approved for

reimbursement, submit a Miscellaneous

Expenditure Voucher to the child’s worker within

30 days of expenditure.

16 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Driver’s license and

driver’s education

Foster parents may not sign for a foster child’s

driver’s license application. The Minnesota Bureau

of Public Safety allows only a parent or legal

guardian to sign for this. If your foster child has

a driver’s permit or license, or if your foster child

would like to drive, discuss this with the child’s

worker and your insurance agent. Learn what

your responsibilities, liabilities and costs may be

and make sure that your insurance coverage is

appropriate.

Under some circumstances, you may be

reimbursed for the cost of driver’s education:

• The class must take place at an approved

driver’s education location

• The foster child must be a ward of the state

or the placement must be expected to last at

least one school year.

• You must obtain prior approval from the

child’s worker.

• If the child’s worker approves reimbursement,

complete a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher

and give it to the child’s worker within 30 days

of expenditure.

Sports and recreational

equipment

Bike helmets

If you allow a foster child to ride a bicycle, the

child must wear a helmet appropriate for the

child’s age and size. If the child is in an accident

with a helmet, that helmet must be replaced.

Reimbursement for sports and

recreational equipment

Sports and recreational equipment includes items

such as sports uniforms, sleeping bags, bicycles,

and bicycle helmets.

• Reimbursement for sports and recreational

equipment for a foster child may sometimes

be allowed with supervisory approval.

• Reimbursement may not exceed $10 per month

during any calendar year for the number of

months the child has been in placement.

• The activity must be part of the child’s written

case plan.

• The total amount for any combination of the

above items may not exceed $120 per year

($10 x 12 months).

• If the child’s worker approves reimbursement,

complete a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher,

attach the receipt and give it to the child’s

worker within 30 days of expenditure.

• YMCA memberships, camp fees and some

recreational equipment may be funded by the

Forgotten Children’s Fund or through grants

from the Guardian ad Litem program. Discuss

this with the child’s placing worker.

17 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

School information

Foster parents play a key role in supporting school

success. Talk to your licensing worker about how

foster children and youth are doing in school. If

students need additional support, your worker

can help.

Foster parent permission letter

• At the time of placement, you will receive a

foster parent permission letter provided by

the placing worker. This letter gives you

permission to communicate with the school

as well as to attend school conferences and

receive school reports.

• Please note, any other major decisions

regarding a foster child’s education must be

made by the parent or legal guardian/county.

This would include decisions like authorizing

special education services or changing the

school a child attends.

School enrollment

• To ensure educational stability of children

in foster care, the Every Student Succeeds

Act (ESSA) entitles them to protections that

promote school stability. As long as it is in the

best interest of the child, they should continue

to attend their school of origin.

• The school of origin is the school that the child

was last enrolled in prior to the out of home

placement date.

• Placing workers and schools determine what

school the child will attend. Foster parents are

not able to make that decision. If you believe it

may be in a foster child’s best interest to enroll

in a diﬀerent school, contact the placing worker

to discuss.

• Hennepin County and local school districts

work together to ensure that children receive

transportation from their foster homes to their

school of origin, if their foster home is outside

of the attendance area. It can take time for

transportation to be arranged, so foster parents

may be asked to assist with transportation to

school initially.

• It may be determined that attending the school

of origin is not in a child’s best interest. In that

case, a child could be enrolled in a school near

the foster home.

Educational assessments

• If a child needs educational testing to

determine the need for special educational

services, please contact the placing worker.

The placing worker may be required to work

with the child’s parent to begin that process.

• If the foster parent notes any potential learning

disabilities or education challenges, inform

the placement worker who will assist with

the process.

Private schools

• ESSA requires that a child remain in their school

of origin. A foster parent cannot make the

decision to enroll a foster child in a new school,

whether private or public. If you believe it may

be in a foster child’s best interest to enroll in

a private school, contact the placing worker

to discuss.

• The county is not able to pay for tuition or

books, but some private schools may waive

tuition for foster children.

Homeschooling

• Foster parents are not permitted to

homeschool foster children except under

unique circumstances.

• Prior authorization must be obtained from

the licensing worker and the child’s worker.

Report cards and school reports

• The child’s worker will ask about children’s

school performance, including report cards

and other school reports.

• Keep these school records and send them

with the child at the end of placement.

18 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

School lunches

• Foster children are usually eligible for school

lunches at free or reduced rates.

• Call the school or your licensing social worker

to obtain and complete an application. It may

take a few days for the child’s eligibility to be

determined, so be sure the child has access to

lunch until approved.

School expenses

Most school expenses are to be covered by the

Basic Maintenance rate.

Some unusual expenses (see examples below)

may be reimbursed. To be reimbursed for these:

• You must obtain prior approval from the

child’s worker.

• If the child’s worker approves reimbursement,

complete a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher,

attach the receipt and give it to the child’s

worker within 30 days of expenditure.

Examples of reimbursable expenses,

with prior approval

• Field trips

• High school graduation expenses (pictures,

announcements, senior class functions, etc.)

• Sports uniforms for school-age children.

See Sports and Recreational Equipment.

• Items to be reimbursed must be itemized on

the Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher and

submitted to the child placing worker. This

requires prior supervisory approval and must

be part of the child’s written case plan.

Independent Living Skills

(ILS) programs

Hennepin County oﬀers a number of diﬀerent

Independent Living Skills (ILS) programs

and services for youth ages 14-21 who are

in foster care.

These programs are aimed at providing youth

with the necessary independent living skills

and helping them to identify supports as they

transition to adulthood.

Independent living skills education, and the

opportunity to experience and practice these

skills, is crucial for youth to successfully enter

into adulthood.

Eligibility

ILS programs and services are aimed at all foster

care youth ages 14 to 21 who are in out of home

placement through a CHIPS (child in need of

protection and services) petition or a voluntary

children’s mental health placement.

More about ILS programs

Hennepin County partners with private agencies

to provide ILS programming to youth in foster

care. ILS case managers help youth to learn the

skills they will need to be self-suﬃcient, such as

completing a resume, applying for jobs, preparing

for college, and completing the FAFSA. They can

also help youth with important life skills, such

as how to shop for groceries, engage in healthy

relationships, or cope with stress.

Hennepin County also oﬀers at least three ILS

classes/workshops each month on a variety of

topics. You can ask the social worker assigned

to the youth about those classes/workshops as

emails are sent to all workers each month. Some

of the programming that is oﬀered includes:

19 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Educational support — Exploring colleges and

post-secondary options, assistance ﬁlling out

FAFSA, college applications and scholarships,

Education and Training Voucher (ETV) ﬁnancial

assistance through DHS, and resources on

furthering education through certiﬁcate programs,

vocational or trades training. Hennepin County

also recognizes foster youth who have earned

their diploma or GED with a graduation ceremony

each spring.

Housing resources and supports — Could

include rental assistance, help with security

deposits and application fees, assistance searching

for aﬀordable market rate housing and transitional

living programs. Rentwise training is also oﬀered

and encouraged for all youth prior to them living

on their own for the ﬁrst time and covers such

things as how to read and sign a lease, what

to look for when looking for your own place,

working with a landlord and what it means to

be a good tenant.

Healthy transitions — Classes and courses

on mind, body, soul, healthy relationships

and sexuality.

Transportation — Assistance with Drivers

Education Training, classes on how to purchase

and maintain a car, how car insurance works, or

assistance with buying a bike to help a youth

become more independent.

Financial literacy — Budgeting, tax assistance,

how to start and maintain a checking and/or

savings account, how credit cards and interest

work, credit workshops and assistance in

interpreting and completing a credit report.

Leadership and self-advocacy — Youth

Leadership Council, conference fees and

attendance for workshops, participation in

Tomorrow’s Leaders Today conference.

Group events — Youth team-building events

and retreats.

Other general ILS classes include Streetwise,

healthy cooking, internet safety, personal

development and self-care.

Contact the youth’s social worker for

more information.

Foster parents can help

As a foster parent, you have the opportunity

and responsibility to help launch a youth into

adulthood with the skills they need to be self-

suﬃcient and successful. Help your foster youth

learn independent living skills:

• Teach youth how to cook, do laundry and

keep a home clean.

• Give youth an opportunity to earn an

allowance and create a personal budget.

• Ensure youth have a state ID or help them

ﬁnd a driver’s education course.

• Teach youth how to grocery shop and

compare prices.

• Help youth ﬁll out job applications or

research college or technical schools.

20 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Youth in Transition

Conference (YTC)

A Youth in Transition Conference (YTC) is a series

of meetings involving a foster youth (typically

age 16 and older) and their circle of support.

The purpose is to help the youth actively discuss

their goals for independence. The process helps

youth to:

• Develop a vision for their future

• 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

sense of control over their lives

• Develop and stay connected to a network

of supportive people

As a foster parent, you may be asked to participate

in a YTC. Your active support and understanding

are critically important as foster youth transition

to adulthood.

Foster children as babysitters

Foster parents are tasked with encouraging

and supporting developmentally appropriate

experiences for foster youth. Apply the prudent

parenting standard when determining whether a

foster youth can provide occasional supervision

for the other children in your home. You will

need to determine if the youth is interested

in babysitting and if they are suﬃciently

responsible to do so. Have a discussion with

the youth’s worker about whether the foster

youth is developmentally prepared for this type

of responsibility.

21 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 2

Home and vehicle safety

Follow these important

requirements and other

guidelines to help provide a

safe environment for foster

children and youth.

Beds and bedrooms

Infants up to age one:

• All non-relative foster homes must have a crib if

caring for an infant.

• Relative foster parents may use a pack-n-play

for infants, with placing worker approval. If a

relative foster provider chooses to use a pack-n-

play, they must ensure that it is safe by checking

the Consumer Product Safety Commission

website (www.cpsc.gov). Check the website

to make certain that the pack-n-play has not

been recalled.

• A car seat cannot be used for sleeping.

• To sleep, infants must be placed on their backs

on a ﬁrm mattress with a tight-ﬁtting sheet.

(Adult sheets may come loose and entangle

an infant).

• Use cribs with slats close enough together

that a 12-ounce soda can cannot slide through

the slats.

• Have pillows, bumper pads, stuﬀed animals,

quilts, or comforters removed from the crib or

pack-n-play, as these may cause suﬀocation.

Infants must not:

• Sleep in an adult or toddler bed either alone or

with another person.

• Share a crib with another child.

• Be placed in a bean bag chair.

Sharing bedrooms:

• Up to the age of 5, foster children can share a

bedroom with children of another gender, as

long as there are no sexual boundary issues

and the placing worker agrees.

• A baby monitor can be purchased, if needed,

to aid in supervision.

• Special sleeping arrangements can be made to

allow children over the age of 5 and of diﬀerent

genders to sleep in the same room, after

consultation with the child’s placing worker

and your licensor.

• An adult (18 years and older) who is not related

to the foster child may not share the foster

child’s bedroom.

All foster children must:

• Sleep in a bedroom.

• Have their own bed that is large enough to

match the size and age of the foster child. In

some circumstances, siblings of the same gender

may share a double bed. However, you must

obtain prior permission from your licensing

worker and the children’s workers.

22 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Crib safety

Foster parents with infants under one must assure

the crib is in compliance with Consumer Products

Safety Commission (CPSC) standards before a

child is placed into the home. To assure the crib

complies with current CPSC standards foster

parents should ﬁrst:

1. Determine the manufacture date based on the

tracking label on the crib or the registration

form supplied. Cribs manufactured on or after

June 28, 2011 can be presumed to comply and

no additional documentation is necessary to

determine compliance.

2. If the crib was manufactured prior to June 28,

2011, a Children’s Product Certiﬁcate (CPC) or

test report from a CPSC-accepted third party lab

is the preferred way to demonstrate compliance.

Many manufacturers, importers and retailers will

provide these documents to consumers upon

request, or they post them on their websites.

3. If the crib does not have a tracking label or

registration form aﬃxed to it:

– If the crib was manufactured prior to

June 28, 2011 it is unlikely that it has

been certiﬁed as being compliant with

the current CPSC standards. However,

consumers may contact the manufacturer

or retailer to determine, which, if

any, standard to which the crib has

been certiﬁed.

– Receipts alone are not an indicator of

compliance and should only be used to

support the documents identiﬁed above

(tracking label or registration form) when

determining compliance.

Playpens or pack-n-plays

Before placing an infant in a playpen or pack-n-

play with mesh sides, be certain that the sides are

securely locked into place.

If using a playpen for any reason, check with

the US Consumer Product Safety Commission

regarding the safety of your playpen. See Where

to Call or visit their web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Playpens may not be used for sleep in non-relative

foster homes. Babies must be placed in a crib

to sleep.

Relative foster parents may use a playpen or

pack-n-play for infant sleep, with approval.

SUID (Sudden Unexpected

Infant Death)

SUID is the sudden and unexplainable death of

a newborn baby through twelve months of age.

For SUID prevention:

• Babies must always be put on their backs to

sleep, at naptime and nighttime.

• Babies may not share cribs.

• A baby must not be put to sleep in an

adult or toddler bed, either alone or with

another person.

• Place a baby on a ﬁrm mattress with a crib

sheet that ﬁts snugly on the mattress and

overlaps the mattress so it cannot be dislodged

by pulling on the corner of the sheet. Never

use an adult sheet on a crib mattress.

• Do not place babies to sleep on bean bag

chairs, sofas, sofa cushions, waterbeds,

sheepskins, or other soft surfaces. Babies

also cannot sleep in car seats or on the ﬂoor.

These spaces are not an acceptable sleep

space or sleep position.

• Remove pillows, quilts, comforters, stuﬀed

toys and other soft items from cribs, as these

may cause suﬀocation.

23 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

• Make sure no one smokes around the baby.

• Before placing an infant in a playpen or pack-n-

play with mesh sides, be certain that the sides

are securely locked into place.

• Slats of a crib or playpen must be close enough

together that a 12-ounce soda can cannot ﬁt

between the slats.

• Check with the United States Consumer

Product Safety Commission for up-to-date

safety information. Visit their web site at

www.cpsc.gov, or see Where to Call.

For additional information, See Crib Safety and

SUID/AHT Training.

Foster parents must place infants, age 12 months

or younger, on their backs to sleep. It is only

allowable to place an infant in an alternative

sleeping position when there is a written directive

from the infant’s physician or advance practice

registered nurse to do so.

If a parent or guardian asks a foster parent to

have their baby sleep in a position other than

the baby’s back, direct the parent to talk with

the child’s worker.

Safely soothing

teething pain

Pain associated with teething is a normal and

sometimes painful experience for babies and

toddlers. Foster parents are encouraged to

follow the current guidance from the American

Association of Pediatrics and the U.S. Food and

Drug Administration regarding safe methods to

help relieve discomfort. Two safe options include

rubbing a child’s gums with a clean ﬁnger or using

a ﬁrm rubber teething ring for the child to chew

on. Foster parents should supervise children while

they are using teething rings.

Using teething necklaces, bracelets or other

“jewelry” is not recommended and foster parents

should not use them. These items pose a risk of

choking, strangulation, and injury. The FDA does

not recommend the use of over-the-counter

topical gel medications or homeopathic teething

tablets as they also carry risks and provide little to

no beneﬁt.

Fire safety

Prior to placement, foster parents must have the

following in place:

• Smoke detectors leading to all bedrooms or

sleeping areas. All smoke detectors must be in

working order.

• A ﬁre extinguisher (2A10BC or higher) in

the home. The ﬁre extinguisher must be

maintained and tagged annually before

a relicensing or annual review with your

licensing worker.

• A completed Fire and Emergency Escape Plan

that is discussed with your licensing worker

and is on ﬁle in your foster care ﬁle. Your Fire

and Emergency Escape Plan must be posted

in a common area of your home.

Practice a ﬁre exit drill with your foster children.

Carbon monoxide detectors

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless

gas that can cause sudden illness or death when

inhaled. This is called carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is in fumes from cars, portable

generators, heating systems and similar appliances

or engines. Each year in Minnesota, especially

in winter, unintentional carbon monoxide

poisonings result in emergency department

visits, hospitalizations, and even deaths. Carbon

monoxide poisonings are tragic and costly, and

many poisonings can be prevented with proper

use and maintenance of carbon monoxide alarms.

24 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Minnesota law requires single and multiple

dwelling residences to have carbon monoxide

detectors installed within ten feet of each

bedroom.

Guns and other weapons

• All weapons, including guns, must be kept in a

locked area and separate from ammunition.

• Guns and other weapons must not be visible or

accessible to the foster children.

• Ammunition must be kept in a second locked

area, separate from the weapon.

• You must report to your licensing worker if

you have a permit to carry a gun.

Any foster child using a gun must have:

• Written permission from the parent or guardian,

and

• Written permission from their worker, and

• Successfully completed a state-certiﬁed gun

safety program, and

• An adult present during any use of the gun.

It is also important that foster parents safely store

and prevent foster children from having access

to items such as BB guns, airsoft guns, and pellet

guns. If you have one of these items in your home,

please inform your licensing worker and make a

plan to store the gun and ammunition separately,

just as you would any other weapon.

Smoking in foster homes

Minnesota Statute 260C.215 subd. 9 prohibits

exposure to secondhand smoke for children in

foster care.

A child in foster care shall not be exposed

to any type of secondhand smoke in the

following settings:

• A licensed foster home or any enclosed

space connected to the home, including

a garage, porch, deck, or similar space

• A motor vehicle while a foster child

is transported

• In outdoor areas on the premises of the

home, if a foster child is present and exposed

to the secondhand smoke

Smoking in outdoor areas on the premises of the

home is permitted, provided that a foster child is

not present and exposed to the smoke.

The home study must include a plan to maintain a

smoke-free environment for foster child. If a foster

parent fails to provide a smoke-free environment

for a foster child, the child-placing agency must

ask the foster parent to comply with a plan that

includes training on the health risks of exposure to

secondhand smoke. If the agency determines that

the foster parent is unable to provide a smoke-free

environment and that the home environment

constitutes a health risk to a foster child, the

agency must reassess whether the placement is

based on the child’s best interests.

Minnesota Statute 260C.215 subd. 9 should not be

interpreted to interfere with traditional or spiritual

Native American or religious ceremonies involving

the use of tobacco.

Car safety

Air bags

• If your vehicle has a passenger air bag, all

children under the age of 13 should ride in

the back seat.

Seat belts

• Minnesota law requires that everyone in a car

must be wearing a fastened seat belt.

25 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Car seats

• Car seat training is required for anyone

transporting a foster child under the age of

8 and must be taken at least every ﬁve years.

• Minnesota law requires that children must

remain in a federally approved, properly

secured restraint until they reach 8 years

old — unless the child is 4’9” or taller.

• Children ages birth to one year must ride in

a rear-facing child safety seat approved for

their weight.

• It is recommended to keep children rear-facing

until age 2 or they reach the rear-facing weight

limit of their seat.

• Children ages 1– 4 and between 20 and 40

pounds can use forward-facing safety seats

approved for their weight. There are car

seats that can be used rear-facing up until

the child reaches the weight limit set by

the manufacturer.

• After they outgrow a forward-facing car

seat, children both under age 8 and shorter

than 4 feet 9 inches must use front-facing

booster seats.

• Talk with your licensing worker if you need car

seat training.

In addition:

• Read the instruction manual for your speciﬁc

car seat and keep the manual in the car. Also

read the vehicle owner’s manual for information

on car seats and seat belts systems.

• Choose a seat that can be held tightly against

the car’s seat back. Try the car seat in your

car before using it.

• Replace your car seats according to

manufacturer guidelines. Most car seat

manufacturers recommend replacement

between every ﬁve and eight years.

• Destroy any car seats that have been

involved in accidents even if there is no

outward damage.

• Car seats and booster seats need to meet

current federal safety regulations, and be

appropriate for the child’s age and weight.

Visit the web site at www.cpsc.gov, or

see Where to Call.

Pets

Foster families that have pets must ensure that

the animal’s immunizations are up to date and

provide your licensing worker with a copy of

the current shot records. This needs to be done

for initial licensing and annually at relicensing or

annual review.

Foster homes may not have pets that pose a

threat to foster children.

All pet owners must be in compliance with the

relevant city and county requirements.

If you have chickens, ducks or reptiles as

household pets in your home, notify your licensor.

Phone

According to MN Rule 2960.3050, subp. 1, there

must be an operable phone in the foster home

for safety reasons. If the applicant/license holder

uses only a cellular service, the agency requires

the applicant/license holder to read, sign and

comply with the conditions of the Landline

Exception Agreement.

The Landline Exception Agreement requires foster

homes to have a charged, functioning cell phone

in the foster home at all times.

Any time you get a new phone number (landline

or cell phone), notify your child’s worker and

licensing worker immediately.

26 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Moving

If you are planning to move, notify your licensing

worker and the foster child’s worker as soon as

possible and always prior to the move.

• As soon as you move, your licensing worker will

need to visit your new home to ensure that it

meets foster care standards.

• If you are moving out of Hennepin County

and want to take a foster child with you or be

licensed in the new county, discuss this with

your licensing worker and the child’s worker. Let

the workers know as far in advance as possible

so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Internet and foster children

The internet has a large presence in much of our

daily lives. Being an involved and attentive foster

parent is the most important thing you can do to

ensure online safety for children in your home.

• Have an open conversation with children and

youth in your home about the expectations

regarding internet use in your home.

• Talk openly with children in your home about

the importance of telling a trusted adult if

someone breaks their boundaries or rules

online, or makes them uncomfortable. Children

and youth report that they may not tell an adult

for fear that their device will be taken away.

Let them know that you won’t punish them

for telling you about concerning interactions

initiated by others.

• Learn about ﬁltering software and resources

that service providers oﬀer to limit content

seen on a cell phone or other device.

• Supervise internet use. This can mean keeping

computers and devices in areas of the home

that allow for supervision as well as checking

in on what sites children are viewing.

• Be particularly cognizant about interactions

children are having on sites that allow for

interaction between individuals, such as social

media sites or some online games.

• Talk with children and youth in your home

about being kind to others on the internet

and teach them to walk away from online

interactions that make them uncomfortable

or when they are angry.

Children in foster care can be particularly

vulnerable to predatory or exploitative behavior

online. It is extremely important for foster parents

to set appropriate boundaries and supervise

internet use.

Social media

Hennepin County foster parents must sign a

policy regrading use of social media. While social

media can be a useful tool for learning, sharing of

information, and ﬁnding support from other foster

parents, it also creates privacy and safety concerns.

Foster parents must be careful to protect the

privacy of foster children.

This means foster parents may not:

• Identify a foster child in a social media post or

elsewhere on the internet

• Post pictures of foster children or share any

information about a foster child

• Discuss speciﬁc case details, including school

locations or information about a child’s family

If you have any questions about the use of social

media, refer to the Child Foster Care Use of Social

Media Policy or ask your licensing worker.

27 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Television and video games

• Monitor what your foster children are

watching and playing.

• Limit foster children’s television viewing

and video game playing time. Talk with the

children about what the limits are and why

you have set those limits.

• Turn oﬀ the television during meal times.

• Ensure that the programs and video games

that your foster children are exposed to are

developmentally appropriate. Talk with the

children about what is appropriate for them

to view or listen to and what is not.

See Internet use

Television and video game usage by

other family members or babysitters

You are responsible for ensuring foster

children are not exposed to developmentally

inappropriate material. Make sure that visitors

to your home understand your limits and

expectations as well.

28 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 3: Foster parent requirements

and licensing process

Find the information you need

to receive and maintain your

child foster care license.

Agreement between

foster parents and

placement agency

A child’s foster parents and the agency

supervising the child’s placement in foster care

share responsibility for the care of the child.

They must work together to ensure that the

standards and policies set forth by law and the

commissioner of the Minnesota Department of

Human Services (MN DHS) are met.

To accomplish this, the foster parents and the

agency need to understand not only what is

expected of them but also what they may expect

of one another. All foster parents receive a copy of

MN DHS’s Agreement Between Foster Parents and

Placement Agency and the document is signed

by both the foster parent(s) and their licensor.

In addition to Minnesota Department of Human

Services rules and regulations, Hennepin County

also requires that if you take the foster child out of

the home for one night or longer, you contact the

child’s placing worker.

Conﬁdentiality

Information about foster children and their

families is protected by the Minnesota

Government Data Practices Act.

• Foster parents must not share information

about a foster child or their family with

neighbors, friends, or family members.

• Foster parents must not share information

about foster children or their family on social

media. This includes photos and videos.

• Foster parents can share information about

foster children with agency-approved

service providers.

Keeping the child’s information private may be

particularly diﬃcult when your foster child is a

relative or kin. If someone in the family system

has questions, you can refer them to the

child’s worker.

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act:

• Governs how information about foster children,

their parents and others in their families is

created and recorded.

• Dictates how information gathered in your

foster care ﬁle is created and recorded.

• Deﬁnes what information can be collected

and with whom it can be shared.

If you are unsure about whether you can share

information with someone, you should discuss it

with your foster child’s placing worker.

29 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Juvenile court and conﬁdentiality

Juvenile protection hearings are open to the

public. Adoption proceedings and delinquency

hearings are not. If a member of the media

contacts you about a case that is before the

court, the rules of conﬁdentiality still apply.

Questions about juvenile court proceedings

should be referred to court information.

See Where to Call.

On occasion, a foster parent may be asked to

testify in court. While testifying in court, foster

parents may answer questions about foster

children. However, once your testimony is done,

you may not share any information about the

child or the family, not even information you

provided in court.

Photos, videos and personal

information about foster children

Foster parents must not allow photos, sketches,

names or identifying information of foster children

to be used in any material that will be available to

the public. This includes but is not limited to:

• Videos shown to anyone other than immediate

family members

• In holiday cards, other cards or print material

• Anywhere online, including sites such as

Facebook, Instagram or GoFundMe

• As part of a presentation for a class

• In any publication, such as newspapers,

company newsletters, magazines, etc

If you have questions, consult the child’s worker or

your licensor. In some situations, the child’s worker

may obtain written authorization from a child’s

parent or legal guardian for use.

Training

Minnesota Department of Human Services Rule

2960 requires that foster parents receive training.

Initial training requirements

Both relative and non-relative foster parents must

complete training before being licensed.

Initial training for relative foster parents should

be completed within 30 days following the

initial placement.

For those interested in pursuing the

Concurrent Families program, an additional

training is required.

For non-relative foster parents

• Nuts & Bolts: Foster Care the Hennepin Way

• Introduction to Children’s Mental Health

• Prudent Parenting

• Racial Identity Development

• Discipline in Foster Care

• Developmental Impact of Trauma

• Car Seat Safety (if foster children under

8 years old)

• Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID)/

Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) (if foster children

under age 6)

For relative foster parents

• Nuts & Bolts: Foster Care the Hennepin Way

• Introduction to Children’s Mental Health

• Prudent Parenting

• Car Seat Safety (if foster children under

8 years old)

• Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID)/

Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) (if foster children

under age 6)

30 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

First-year training requirements

Non-relative foster parents

Non-relative foster parents must complete at

least 12 hours of training during the ﬁrst year of

licensure. The following trainings are required:

• Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide test

• Introduction to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Disorder (FASD) (Note: This training counts

toward the annual children’s mental health

training required by DHS.)

For non-relative foster parents, the following

trainings are recommended:

• QPI: Comfort Calls

• MAPCY: Foster Care Supplement Rate

• Foster Parent Court

• Mandated Reporter training

Relative foster parents

Relative foster parents must complete at least

12 hours of training during the ﬁrst year of

licensure. The following trainings are required:

• Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide test

• Racial Identity Development

• Discipline in Foster Care

• Developmental Impact of Trauma

• Introduction to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Disorder (FASD) (Note: This training counts

toward the annual children’s mental health

training required by DHS.)

• Nuts & Bolts: Foster Care the Hennepin Way

(unless completed before licensure)

Ongoing training requirements

for relative and non-relative foster

parents — after the ﬁrst year

A minimum of 12 hours of training is required

each year:

• Five hours minimum from the in-person

training options listed on Hennepin County’s

foster care training calendar

• One hour of mental health training must be

completed every year

• One hour of FASD training must be completed

every year

You may count up to six hours combined from the

following categories:

• Up to three hours of relevant reading or

videos of your choice, related to the needs of

foster children

• Up to three hours individual training such as

special staﬃngs or meetings about a child in

your care

• Up to three hours of webinar training related to

the needs of foster children

• Up to six hours from the online video options

listed on Hennepin County’s foster care training

calendar. Online training options are listed

on Hennepin County’s foster parent website

(www.hennepin.us/fosterparents)

Training hours may not be carried over into the

next year.

If foster parents have not completed the required

annual training at the time of relicensure/annual

review and are not able to show good cause as

to why the training was not completed, the foster

parent may not accept new foster children until

the training is completed. A correction order may

be issued as well.

31 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Medical equipment training

Foster parents who care for children who rely on

medical equipment to sustain life or monitor a

medical condition must meet the requirements

of Minnesota Statutes, Section 245A.155. See

Medical Equipment.

Car seat training

This training is required every ﬁve years for

foster parents taking children under the age of

eight. The training must be done by a certiﬁed

Department of Public Safety trainer. Babysitters

and others who help transport foster children

under age eight on a consistent basis are required

to complete this training and may attend the

training at no charge.

SUID/AHT training

SUID/AHT training is required for families taking

infants and children under age six. Babysitters and

others who help care for foster children under age

six are required to complete this training and may

attend the training at no charge.

Mental health training

Each provider must have two hours of mental

health training in order to be licensed, and all

licensed foster parents must receive one hour

each following year. Trainings that meet the

mental health requirement are listed in the

Essentials foster parent newsletter.

Training resources

Consult with your licensing worker concerning

other training options, as you are not limited to

the following training resources. Training topics

should be related to understanding and living

with children, especially foster children, and must

be consistent with Rule 2960.

• Classes organized by the agency speciﬁcally

for foster parents. These are free of charge and

announced on the Hennepin County Foster

Care training calendar at www.hennepin.

us/fosterparents and in the Essentials email

newsletter.

• Trainings oﬀered during agency-sponsored

support groups

• Foster Parent College trainings (requires

registration assistance from the foster care

training coordinator)

• Community education classes

• College courses

• Relevant trainings oﬀered by churches

• Relevant trainings oﬀered by private agencies

• Special staﬃngs or meetings about foster

children in your care (see limits listed above)

Cancellations of Hennepin County trainings will be

announced via email by 5 p.m. for evening classes,

and 8 a.m. for Saturday classes.

Recording your training hours

You are responsible for noting your training hours

on the Provider Record of Training form mailed to

you prior to your annual review or relicensing.

SUIDS/AHT training

Non-relative foster parents must take training on

Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Abusive Head

Trauma (SUID/AHT) before accepting a child under

age six.

Relative foster parents must take SUID/AHT training

at the time of licensing, if caring for a child under

age six.

All family members, extended family, babysitters

etc. who help with the care of a foster child under

the age of six must have SUID/AHT training.

32 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Once trained, all licensed foster parents and others

must repeat the training every ﬁve years if still

caring for foster children under the age of six.

If you have any questions about the training,

or who should be taking the training, talk to

your licensing worker or call the foster care

training coordinator.

Fingerprinting

The federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and

Safety Act of 2006, known as the Adam Walsh

Law, and Minnesota Statute Section 245C.05

require background studies to be conducted on

all household members 13 years and older who

live in a foster home.

Any individual who is over 18 years of age must

complete a ﬁngerprint background study. This

is also the case for any substitute caregivers you

plan to use.

When someone new moves into your home or

you want to use a new substitute caregiver, they

will have to do ﬁngerprints beforehand.

All background studies for foster parents,

household members 13 years and older, and

substitute caregivers, will be completed by the

Department of Human Services (DHS) in a process

called NETSTUDY 2.0.

Communication to you about the results of your

background studies will come to you directly from

DHS rather than from the Hennepin County.

Relicensing

Your child foster care license has an expiration

date. Prior to that date, your licensing worker

will meet with you to complete your relicensing

process. The licensing worker can then make a

recommendation to the Minnesota Department

of Human Services for a license renewal.

Prior to your relicensing home visit:

• Complete all the electronic relicensing forms

sent to you through Adobe Sign, or complete

on paper. Make certain that the forms that

require signatures are signed.

• Ensure that all of your required training hours

have been completed. If you have questions

about your speciﬁc requirements, talk with your

licensing worker or see the Training section.

• Check your smoke detectors to make sure they

are working. Fix them if needed.

• Check your ﬁre extinguisher, and be sure

it has been serviced and tagged. Your ﬁre

extinguisher must be a 2A10BC or larger.

Evaluations

When completing your relicensing, the child’s

worker will be asked to complete the Child Foster

Home Evaluation form. This is an opportunity

for a placing worker to evaluate the care you

have provided the child. If your licensor received

an evaluation, you will be given a copy of the

completed form. A copy will also be placed in

your foster care ﬁle and one in the child’s ﬁle.

If you have any concerns with the evaluation,

discuss those with the child’s worker and your

licensing worker. If you wish, you may respond in

writing to the child’s worker and your licensing

worker and your comments will be attached to

the evaluation and placed in your ﬁle.

When completing your relicensing and annual

review, you will be provided with an evaluation

form to complete as well. This is an opportunity

for you to evaluate the services you have received

from the agency in your role as a foster parent.

A copy of the form is ﬁled in your foster care ﬁle.

Another copy is sent to the child’s placing worker.

33 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 4

Foster parent support

As a foster parent, you have a

big job. Lean on these supports

to help.

Respite and substitute care

Caring for foster children can be challenging.

We encourage foster parents to take care of

yourselves as well. One option to consider is

using respite or substitute care.

Licensed foster parents and relative foster

providers currently in the licensing process are

eligible to receive up to 21 days per calendar year

of reimbursed respite care or substitute care.

• The 21 days is per foster family, not per child.

• Respite care during the last two weeks in

December will not be approved. It is very

diﬃcult for children to be in an unfamiliar

respite home for the holidays. In addition,

few foster homes are available for respite

placements in the last two weeks of December.

• Foster parents may not request respite or

substitute care and at the same time take

another foster child into their home for respite

or a foster care placement.

• All respite must be arranged and approved

through the foster parent’s licensing worker.

• Respite providers receive the regular foster care

reimbursement rate, including the MAPCY. The

foster parents will also continue to receive that

same rate while the children are in respite care.

Information for foster parents

requesting respite care

Respite care is the term used when your foster

child goes to another licensed foster home while

you take a break.

The foster parent who requested the respite will

still receive the foster care rate, including the

MAPCY level, for each child during the time of

the respite.

To use respite care, complete the following steps:

1. Notify your licensing worker at least 30 days

in advance of when you want to use respite.

Failure to notify the licensing worker prior to

using respite care may result in a negative

licensing action and/or nonpayment. Your

licensing worker will identify a licensed home

for the respite placement.

2. Notify the child’s worker that you are making

this request.

3. Complete the Child Foster Care Respite

Provider/Substitute Caregivers Information

form for each child needing respite, and give

a copy of the form to the respite provider. This

form must be signed by both you and the

respite provider before the respite begins.

See Appendix F: Child Foster Care Respite

Provider/Substitute Caregiver Information

Form Instructions

4. Complete the top two sections on the

Child Foster Care Respite Reimbursement

Form (including your name, your licensor’s

name, the child’s worker’s name, dates, and

information about foster children). Give the

form to the respite provider.

34 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

5. Provide the Child Foster Care Respite

Reimbursement form to the respite provider,

along with contact information for your

licensor. Your licensor will need to approve

ﬁnal payment. See Appendix G: Child Foster

Care Respite Reimbursement form instructions

Respite care: information for respite

care providers

If you are a foster parent who provides respite

care for children living with their birth parents,

or for children who live in a foster home other

than yours:

• You may not care for more children than what

your maximum capacity states on your foster

care license.

• Your licensing worker and the child’s placing

worker must preapprove the respite plan.

• If you have any questions, contact your licensor.

Steps you must complete for each respite

placement:

• Ensure that your licensor is aware of all respite

placements in your home.

• Before providing respite, you must receive a

copy of the Child Foster Care Respite Provider/

Substitute Caregiver information form from

the child’s foster parent. The bulk of the form

is completed by the foster parent. You must

complete the section on page 3 of the form.

See Appendix F: Child Foster Care Respite

Provider/Substitute Caregiver information

form instructions.

• After the respite placement, you will need

to sign the Child Foster Care Respite

Reimbursement form and send it to the

child’s foster parent’s licensor. (Your licensor

cannot approve payment; the reimbursement

form must be signed by the licensor for the

foster parent who requested the respite care.)

See Appendix G: Child Foster Care Respite

Reimbursement form instructions

• The signed Child Foster Care Respite Provider/

Substitute Caregiver Information form must

be attached to the Respite Reimbursement

form in order to get reimbursement. If the

respite is three days or less, all three days are

reimbursed. If the respite is longer than three

days, reimbursement is made for the ﬁrst and

subsequent days, but the last day (the day the

child leaves) is not reimbursed.

• Reimbursement for the respite care will be

sent directly to you.

Substitute care: information for foster

parents using substitute caregivers

Substitute care is the term used when you arrange

for someone to come into your home to provide

care for your foster child while you take a break.

(This was formerly called in-home respite.) Foster

parents identify who they would like to be an

authorized substitute caregiver and then work

with their licensor to meet the requirements.

If a foster parent chooses to use more than 21

days of substitute care in a calendar year, those

additional days would not be reimbursed except

under special circumstances.

Substitute caregivers must:

• Have a current and completed background

check, including ﬁngerprinting (see

Fingerprinting) in order to provide 24-hour

care for a child.

• Be at least 18 years old.

• Provide documentation of training from an

appropriate training source on any medical

equipment used by the foster child. See

Medical Equipment.

• Have completed car seat training if transporting

a child under the age of eight.

• Have completed SUID and AHT training if

providing care for infants or children under six.

• Substitute caregivers must also meet all other

babysitter requirements. See Babysitters.

35 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

If the substitute caregiver is providing more

than 30 cumulative days of substitute care in

a 12-month period, that person must meet

the requirements outlined above as well as

the following:

• Must submit a signed statement attesting to

good health and being physically able to care

for foster children

• Have at least six hours of training or 20 hours

of experience in caring for children with the

particular needs of the foster children to be

cared for.

To request substitute care:

• You must notify your licensing worker and

the child’s worker of the plan prior to using

a substitute caregiver. Failure to do so may

result in a negative licensing action and/or

nonpayment.

• You must provide your licensing worker and the

child’s worker with the name of the substitute

caregiver who will be providing respite care.

• You must complete the Child Foster Care

Respite Providers/Substitute Caregivers

information form for each child needing

substitute care, and give the copy of the form

to the substitute caregiver. Both the foster

parent and the substitute caregiver must

sign the form. See Appendix F: Child Foster

Care Respite Provider/Substitute Caregiver

Information form instructions.

Reimbursement for substitute care:

• The agency will reimburse you $45 per day,

to be used to pay the substitute caregiver,

regardless of the number of children in

your home.

• To request reimbursement, complete

the Child Foster Care Respite Provider/

Substitute Caregivers information form for

your licensor, along with the signed Respite

Provider/Substitute Caregiver Information form.

See Appendix G: Child Foster Care Respite

Reimbursement Form Instructions

• Mail or email both forms to your

licensing worker.

• The reimbursement of $45 per day is sent to

you and you are responsible for paying your

substitute caregiver. You will also receive the

foster care rate, including the MAPCY level

for each foster child during the period that

substitute care was provided.

Respite care: special circumstances

Using a licensed day care provider

Up to ﬁve of the 21 days of respite may be used

for bringing your foster child to a licensed day care

home or center for less than 24 hour care.

• It is up to you to ﬁnd the licensed day care

home or center.

• The home or center you use for day care must

be licensed.

• You will be reimbursed up to $45 per day,

regardless of the number of children. For

example, whether you have one foster child

or ﬁve foster children in day care, the total

reimbursement rate is a maximum of

$45 per day, not $45 per child.

• Regardless of how many hours the children are

in day care, it will count as one of your ﬁve days.

You may not claim just half a day if you only use

a few hours.

• Day care providers must also meet all other

babysitter requirements. See Babysitters.

• If you decide to use ﬁve of your respite days

towards day care, you pay the provider and

the agency reimburses you. You will need

to use the Miscellaneous Expense Voucher

form, which is available at www.hennepin.us/

fosterparents, to request reimbursement. Write

the names of the foster children and the name

of the licensed day care provider or facility on

the form and send the voucher to your licensor.

36 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Special respite (foster child in respite for more

than 21 days in a calendar year)

In rare circumstances, there may be a need for

more than 21 days of respite in a calendar year.

• The child’s placing worker must obtain

approval from their program manager for any

reimbursed respite more than 21 days in a

calendar year. This approval must be obtained

before the respite is provided and the placing

worker is responsible for coordinating with

Hennepin County Accounting for payment.

• For additional information about using special

respite, talk with your licensor and child’s

placing worker.

Vacations

Inform the child’s worker before taking the child

on any trip of one or more overnights. You must

obtain permission from the child’s worker before

taking a child outside of the state.

• You may be eligible for up to $15 per day for

up to 21 days per year if you take a foster child

with you on a family vacation. This would be in

addition to your ongoing foster care rate.

• If the child’s worker approves reimbursement,

complete a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher

and give it to the child’s worker within 30 days

of expenditure.

• If you are unable to include your foster child

in your vacation plans, discuss respite care

with the child’s worker and your licensing

worker well in advance. See Respite and

substitute care.

Family Response and

Stabilization Services

Family Response oﬀers immediate in-person

support and stabilization for children and youth

(ages 5–18) and their caregivers.

If you feel overwhelmed by your foster child’s

mental, behavioral, or emotional needs, Family

Response can help. There are no speciﬁc criteria

required to initiate Family Response, but concerns

may include children or youth who are:

• Having a hard time with a family member or

change in the home

• Showing aggression or anger

• Feeling down or less engaged

• Experiencing worry and concern

• Having issues at school

The goal of Family Response is to keep youth and

families — including foster families – stable at

home by helping you determine and connect

to the support you need to thrive.

Call Family Response

• 612-979-9511

• Available every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Support groups

Participating in support groups can be a valuable

tool to avoid stress and burnout as a foster parent.

For information about support groups for foster

parents, talk with your licensing worker or review

the information available on www.hennepin.us/

fosterparents.

37 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Self-care

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to

everyone. Both a physical and emotional reaction,

stress is experienced when encountering changes

or challenges in life. Stress responses help your

body adjust to new situations. In some cases,

stress can be positive: keeping us alert, motivated

and ready to avoid danger. But stress becomes a

problem when stressors continue without relief or

periods of relaxation.

Prolonged stress may lead to something

called “burnout.” Foster parents are frequently

attempting to meet the many demands of

children with special needs over a period of time.

Without relief in those circumstances, burnout

may occur. Physical, emotional and behavioral

symptoms associated with burnout are:

• Physical exhaustion or aches and pains

• Headaches, dizziness or shaking

• Diﬃculty sleeping

• Anxiety or irritability

• Depression; feelings of sadness and

hopelessness

• A quickness to anger

• Resisting change

• Increased alcohol use

• Reduced capacity to fulﬁll requirements of

the foster parent role, such as supervision of

children or completion of necessary paperwork.

Ways to prevent and reduce stress

• At the end of each day, think about what you’ve

accomplished — not what you didn’t get done.

• Know your limits, skills, strengths

and weaknesses.

• Ask for help when you need it.

• Increase your knowledge and skills by attending

foster parent training classes.

• Use respite regularly and take breaks for

yourself. See Respite and substitute care

• Take time for yourself and your family.

• Focus on the positive things rather than on

the negative, and spend time with others

who do the same.

• Celebrate your foster children’s successes,

no matter how small, with them.

The key to preventing burnout is to keep balance

in your life. If you are experiencing stress that

is negatively aﬀecting your ability to care for

yourself, your family and/or the foster child, talk

with your licensing worker right away.

Essentials newsletter

The Hennepin County Foster Care program

publishes the Essentials newsletter by email.

The newsletter contains foster care information,

policies, and training opportunities. New and

important updates for foster parents will be

shared in this newsletter. Be sure to read each

issue and contact your licensing worker if you

have any questions.

38 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Babysitters

A babysitter is someone who provides short-term

care (less than 24 hours) for a foster child, either in

your home or in the home of the sitter.

Apply the reasonable prudent parenting standard

when choosing a babysitter. Make sure to consider

the needs of each foster child when you select

a babysitter. You are ultimately responsible for

the care a babysitter provides the foster children

in your home. Not using good judgment about

babysitters could lead to a negative licensing

action for you.

If you are using a licensed family child care

provider as a babysitter, the total number of all

the children under age 18 cannot exceed the total

limits of the child care provider’s license during

the time care is provided in their home. Such care

must be less than 24 consecutive hours.

You must make certain that all babysitters for your

foster children:

• Are trained by a qualiﬁed source on life-

sustaining medical equipment used by a

foster child. A qualiﬁed source is a person with

medical training or a vendor of the equipment.

A foster parent is not considered a qualiﬁed

source to train a babysitter. See Medical

equipment.

• Have completed required car seat safety

training if there is any possibility they will

be driving a child under the age of eight.

See Car seats.

• Have completed Sudden Infant Death

Syndrome (SIDS) reduction and Shaken Baby

Syndrome training if caring for children under

age six. See SUIDS/AHT training.

• Are provided with emergency and medical

phone numbers, and emergency plans.

• Are told not to give out any information about

a foster child to anyone.

• Are aware that phone calls and visits by birth

parents or social workers may only occur when

the foster parent is home.

• Agree to abide by the entire section about

discipline in Rule 2960. It is your responsibility to

review that section with your babysitters.

• Agree to abide by your drug and alcohol policy.

• Understand the importance of supervision and

report to you any incidents that occurred while

you were gone.

• Receive your permission before bringing anyone

else along or allowing anyone else to visit in your

home while they are babysitting.

If you plan to use a babysitter in your home for

more than 24 hours, that is considered “substitute

caregiving” and there are important additional

requirements. See Respite and substitute care for

more information.

You may not:

• Take foster children to an unlicensed home for

24-hour care.

• Take foster children to a licensed foster home

for 24-hour care unless you have received prior

authorization from the child’s worker and the

other foster home’s licensing worker.

39 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 5: Partnering with the county,

court, tribes, and guardian ad litem

Foster care is part of a complex

system. Learn about the major

areas and how foster parents

play a part.

Abuse and neglect reporting

Foster parents are mandated reporters. This

means you are obligated to report incidents of

suspected child abuse and/or neglect. Minnesota

law protects people who report abuse or neglect

in good faith.

If you have reason to believe that child abuse and/

or neglect may have occurred, you should:

• Call 911 if the child is in immediate danger

• Call Hennepin County Child Protection Intake or

the county where you witnessed the abuse or

neglect. See Where to call.

If a foster child tells you about abuse or neglect

that occurred in the past that may have not been

reported, call the child’s placing worker. If a foster

child returns from a visit with bruises or otherwise

appears to have been abused or neglected, be

sure to do all of the following:

• Contact Child Protection Intake, See Where

to call

• Contact the child’s placing worker

• Contact your licensing worker

• Complete an Incident Report form

If you are aware that a foster child has been

abused or neglected in your home, you

must complete an Incident Report form and

immediately call all of the following:

• Child Protection Intake, See Where to call

• The child’s placing worker

• Your licensing worker

Documentation is very important. Document any

observations, bruising or scars for your records.

Child Protection System

Child Protection Screening

When a report of child abuse or neglect is

made, Child Protection Screening gathers

the information and determines whether

the report meets criteria to open a child

protection investigation.

Child Protection Investigation

If it is determined that the report meets criteria,

a child protection investigator is assigned.

The child protection investigator gathers

information, conducts interviews, and works

with a team to determine if there will be a ﬁnding

of maltreatment.

A ﬁnding of maltreatment does not always mean

that a child protection case will be opened. At

times, there may be a maltreatment ﬁnding, but

the caregivers have taken appropriate steps to

resolve the problem and it is determined that the

child is safe. The department does not assign an

ongoing child protection worker to a family in

those situations.

40 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Ongoing Child Protection Services

If there is a maltreatment ﬁnding and the children

and family are found to be in need of additional

help, the case is transferred to an ongoing child

protection worker for services and monitoring.

Sometimes, the children are placed in foster

care as well. Child protection workers focus on

helping the parents or guardians resolve the child

protection issues by engaging them in case plans

and services.

If the child is eligible under the Indian Child

Welfare Act (ICWA), a child protection worker

who specializes in ICWA will be assigned.

In some cases, a child services worker will be

assigned to work with children who are in foster

care. Child services workers work in partnership

with child protection workers. While child

protection workers are directly involved with

providing services to parents and children, child

services workers are more exclusively focused

on the needs of the children while they are in

placement.

Child protection workers and child services

workers have a number of responsibilities related

to children and foster parents. They work with the

foster parents to ensure that a child’s needs are

being met. They assess and monitor a child’s well-

being. They work with service providers to address

the child’s mental health, medical and other

needs. They visit the child in the foster home, talk

with the foster parents, and view the residence to

understand the child’s routine and experiences.

They may also visit the child at school or day care.

They work with a team to develop an out of home

placement plan for the child.

Permanency

For children who enter foster care, there are

multiple potential permanency outcomes.

• Reunification happens when a parent or

parents successfully complete the case plan

and the children are able to return home.

• The court can transfer permanent legal and

physical custody (TPLPC) from the child’s

parent(s) to another person.

• The court can terminate parental rights

(TPR). When parents’ rights are terminated,

the permanency goal for the child

becomes adoption.

• In limited circumstances, when children are age

16 or older, the court can order permanent

custody to the county agency.

When parents’ rights are terminated or the court

orders permanent custody to the agency, primary

responsibility for the case will transfer from

the ongoing child protection worker to a child

services worker. In the case of a TPR, an adoption

resource worker will also work closely with the

child and adopting family. If an adoptive family

has not been identiﬁed, the adoption resource

worker will work to recruit and identify one.

Extended foster care

When a youth is nearing age 18 and is still in foster

care, they will be referred for extended foster

care services. Minnesota law allows youth who

are in foster care on their 18th birthday to receive

extended foster care services and payments to

age 21, if they remain eligible. If a youth does

receive extended foster care after their 18th

birthday, the case will transfer to the extended

foster care worker.

41 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Court

When children are in foster care, periodic reviews

of the case are held in court. Foster parents

receive notice of those hearings from the court.

Foster parents are not considered parties to the

case by the court, but are considered participants.

This means that you may attend in person, if

you choose to, and that you have the right to

be heard.

Guardian ad litem

A guardian ad litem (GAL) is a person appointed

by a juvenile court judge to represent the

best interests of a child who is involved in

juvenile court.

• The guardian ad litem does not directly make

decisions about the child but does make

recommendations to the court. The guardian

ad litem presents written reports to the court

that address the child’s best interests, including

conclusions and recommendations and the

facts upon which they are based.

• It is necessary for the guardian ad litem to

develop ﬁrsthand knowledge about the child’s

situation. The guardian ad litem will interview

the child and other important people in their

lives, review records about the child, and

may attend meetings with other providers

and professionals.

• Foster parents are expected to maintain

communication with the guardian ad litem

and to help ensure that the guardian ad litem

can visit with the child.

• The guardian ad litem remains involved until

the court jurisdiction is dismissed.

Indian Child Welfare Act

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal

law that establishes standards and procedures

that state courts must follow before and after

American Indian children are removed from their

parent’s or Indian Custodian’s home.

The purpose of ICWA is “to protect the best

interest of Indian Children and to promote the

stability and security of Indian tribes and families

by the establishment of minimum Federal

standards for the removal of Indian children

and placement of such children in homes which

will reﬂect the unique values of Indian culture”

(25 U.S. C. 1902).

The law requires that notice of hearings involving

child protection matters be given to the tribe. The

law allows for intervention by the tribe in any state

court proceedings where out of home placement

is necessary.

The law outlines the following placement

preferences for American Indian children:

1. The child’s extended family

2. A tribe-approved foster home

3. A state-approved American Indian/ICWA

foster home

4. An American Indian-operated or

-approved institution.

Because there are a limited number of licensed

Indian/ICWA foster homes available in Hennepin

County, this means ICWA-eligible children may be

temporarily placed in non-ICWA licensed foster

homes when necessary. Workers will continue to

engage active eﬀorts and work towards ﬁnding

an Indian/ICWA foster home while also working

towards reuniﬁcation with parents and searching

for relatives who can care for the child(ren).

42 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Minnesota Indian Family

Preservation Act

Minnesota Statutes, Section 260.751 through

260.835 provides for the participation of Indian

tribes in the placement of their children.

Local social service agencies or private licensing

agencies must:

• Determine if a child is Indian and identify the

child’s tribe

• Provide notice of potential out of home

placement to the child’s tribe

• Make a reasonable eﬀort to identify and locate

extended family members

• Work with tribal courts and tribal social

service agencies

The act also provides that “…orders of a tribal

court concerning placement of such child shall

have the same force and eﬀect as orders of a

court of this state.”

Termination of parental

rights (TPR)

Termination of parental rights (TPR) is the result of

a court order that ends the birth parents’ rights.

Once parental rights are terminated, the child is

under the legal guardianship of the state and the

department must make eﬀorts towards adoption.

Typically, visits with parents end once the court

orders a TPR, but there are exceptions.

A TPR can be either voluntary (i.e., a parent agrees

to the TPR) or involuntary.

Transfer of permanent

legal and physical custody

(TPLPC)

A transfer of permanent legal and physical

custody is a legal action that takes place in

juvenile court. A court order is issued, transferring

a child’s custody from birth parents to another

person known as the permanent custodian.

Sometimes people refer to a Transfer of

Permanent Legal and Physical Custody as a TPLPC

or TLC. In the case of a TPLPC, the permanent

custodians have primary rights and responsibilities

for a child’s protection, education, care,

supervision, and decision-making on behalf of

the child. A child continues to have a legal parent-

child relationship with birth parents, but the birth

parents’ rights are secondary, subject to limits

imposed by the rights of the relative custodians.

• Once the court orders a TPLPC, the foster

parent becomes the permanent custodian

and no longer needs to maintain a foster care

license to care for the child. They have the right

and responsibility to make decisions regarding

the child’s care, education, medical treatment

and upbringing. If the child develops mental

health diagnoses or behavioral problems, that

permanent custodian is responsible for seeking

treatment for the child.

• The permanent custodian is responsible for that

child until the child reaches the age of majority

or until a court orders custody be transferred

back to the parent.

• When the TPLPC is granted by the court,

the birth parent-child relationship remains

intact. The parent retains the right to access

information, notiﬁcation of accidents or

serious illnesses, etc. The court may order visits

between the parent and the child if visitation

would be in the child’s best interest.

43 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

• If the permanent custodian has been given

permanent legal and physical custody by court

order, it can only be taken away by another

court order.

• The TPLPC court order is ﬁled in family

court, where any visitation disputes or other

modiﬁcations in custody would be heard.

• When a person accepts a TPLPC of a child,

they may be eligible for Northstar Kinship Care

Assistance, depending on the needs of the

child. See Northstar Care for Children.

• Permanent custodians are no longer eligible

for foster care reimbursement for that child.

• Once a foster parent accepts a TPLPC of a child:

– The child is now considered the

same as a birth or adopted child for

licensing purposes.

– If you remain licensed for foster care, you

will be asked to provide a school report,

and both you and the child sign for juvenile

background checks to be completed on

the child beginning at age 13.

– If the child exhibits behaviors that could

be a threat to the safety of other children

in your home, this will aﬀect your ability to

have foster care placements in your home.

Concurrent Families

Concurrent Families is a program for children for

whom termination of parental rights appears likely

and, at the time of placement, a relative/kin home

does not appear to be available as a permanency

option. While this is a foster care program with a

potential adoption option, there is no guarantee

that you will be able to adopt. Concurrent

Families foster parents can take placements

of children with a high likelihood of not being

reuniﬁed with their parents, while also recognizing

and supporting the importance of prioritizing

reuniﬁcation and permanency with relatives.

The children in need of placement:

• May be on a “fast track” for termination of

parental rights (TPR) due to a previous history

of child protection involvement in the family, or

very serious/life-threatening abuse issues, but

the TPR is not yet completed in juvenile court,

• Have a TPR petition ﬁled in juvenile court, but

have not had a completed kinship search, or

may not have an identiﬁed father. The father

or a relative may still come forward to care for

the child.

Foster parents interested in this program

complete specialized training. Concurrent families

must support the court and agency’s plans for the

children that may include:

• Eﬀorts to reunify children with parents and

or guardians.

• Placing with relatives who are willing to take the

children and meet licensing standards. This can

include placing with siblings and half siblings

already in another placement.

Some additional requirements for Concurrent

Families foster parents:

• Meet all the standards for foster care with

a completed home study

• Attend Concurrent Families training

• Have the support of their licensing worker

to be in the program

• Agree to be adoptive parents for the children

if the need develops

44 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 6

Placement process

The goal of every placement

is to ﬁnd the right foster home,

helping support children’s

well-being.

The placement process

Minnesota statute lists the factors that must be

used in determining which placement is the most

appropriate for a child. The factors that must be

considered are:

• The child’s current functioning and behaviors

• The medical needs of the child

• The educational needs of the child

• The developmental needs of the child

• The child’s history and past experience

• The child’s religious and cultural needs

• The child’s connection with a community,

school, and faith community

• The child’s interests and talents

• The child’s relationship to current caretakers,

parents, siblings and relatives

• The reasonable preference of the child

Locating relatives or kin who can meet the child’s

needs and ﬁnding homes where siblings can

remain together are extremely important factors

as well.

Other factors may also be considered, depending

on the speciﬁc situation:

• Whether the foster parent has had the training,

experience and skills needed to meet the

child’s current needs

• Match between the foster child and any other

children in the foster home

• Space in the foster home

• Location (proximity to the child’s family,

school, or day care)

• Child’s need for foster parents who are

committed to providing a supportive and

aﬃrming environment in terms of sexuality

and gender identity

• Foster parents’ ability to participate in therapy

or other appointments, including school

activities, family visits, etc.

• Foster parent’s ability to transport

• The licensed capacity of the foster home,

meaning how many children the foster parent

can be licensed to care for. (Regardless of

children’s ages, the total number of children

in a foster home must not exceed the limits

set by Rule 2960.)

• Allergies, including pet allergies

• The needs of the other children in the home,

including foster children already placed

Matching children and foster families

It is important that your licensor knows the

characteristics of children who would be most

appropriate for placement in your home. You will

talk with your licensor about the age range of

children you can consider, as well as what type of

medical, mental health, emotional, developmental,

and learning needs you feel prepared to meet. As

you become more experienced with providing

foster care, you may want to consider changing

those parameters. Discuss this with your licensor.

45 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

There are a few diﬀerent ways that a child may be

matched with a foster home.

• Relative placements — Frequently, children

are placed in the home of a relative or kin.

The relative or kin family then works to

become licensed to care for those children.

Most frequently, a child protection worker,

investigator, or kinship worker works closely

with the relative provider to coordinate

placement. A licensor is assigned after

placement in most cases.

• Initial non-relative placements — Some

children will be placed in a licensed non-relative

home when they enter out of home placement.

Often, children will need placement quickly and

workers may have limited information about

the children. Workers will be gathering as much

information as possible in order to appropriately

match children with foster homes that can

meet their needs.

In these situations, you may be contacted

by your licensor or by someone from our

placement coordination center to discuss the

potential placement.

• Some foster parents choose to be open to

contact about potential placements at any time

of day or night. Discuss this possibility with your

licensor. While not a frequent occurrence, there

are times when placement may be needed

immediately and during non-business hours. In

these situations, you would likely be contacted

by a child protection investigator about the

potential placement.

If you are interested in being available for

immediate placement during non-business

hours, you will need to have some basic

supplies ready. Consider what you may need.

For example, for an infant placement, do you

have a car seat? Do you have basic feeding

supplies, appropriate sleeping space, a minimal

amount of clothing, etc.?

• Other non-relative placements — Our goal

is to ensure that children do not need to

experience changes in placement while in out

of home care. However, sometimes placements

do disrupt and a new foster home is needed.

In these situations, you will be contacted by

your licensor or someone from our placement

coordination center to discuss the potential

placement. There may be more information

available about the children immediately

in these cases, because their workers and

previous foster parents have had more of an

opportunity to get to know them. In some

limited circumstances, a preplacement visit may

be possible. See Preplacement visits.

Making a decision

It is important that you gather the information

you need to make an informed decision about

whether a particular placement is the right ﬁt.

It is everyone’s hope that children will not have

to experience placement changes. We know

everyone has diﬀerent strengths, abilities, and

responsibilities. So, if you do not feel conﬁdent

that you and your family have the time, energy,

skills, and commitment to care for a particular

child at a particular time, it is appropriate to

decline taking a placement and you will be

supported in that decision.

Following is a list of questions you may want to

ask when talking with a worker about a potential

placement. Keep in mind that, depending on the

situation, they may not know all of the answers

right away.

1. Has the child been in previous placements?

2. What is the child’s relationship to his or her

family? Who are important people that he or

she may need to have contact with?

3. What are the circumstances that led to the

child’s placement?

4. What are the child’s strengths, interests

and hobbies?

46 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

5. Has the child been physically or sexually

abused or neglected?

6. How does the child feel about being in

foster care?

7. How will the child relate to other children in

your home?

8. Is there any information about the estimated

length of placement?

9. Is the plan to return the child to parents,

adoption or another option?

10. Is the child functioning academically and

socially at grade level?

11. Does the child have any diﬃculties with

learning or at school?

12. Does the child have any behavioral issues?

13. Is the child using life-sustaining medical

equipment? (If so, foster parents must be

trained to use the equipment.)

14. Are there special care issues related to

toileting, eating, or sleep problems?

15. Does the child need frequent medical

appointments? Who transports?

16. Where does the child go to the doctor?

17. How often are visits with parents, siblings,

and other family?

18. Who will visit?

19. Who arranges the visits?

20. Where are the visits held?

21. What is required from me regarding

transportation for visits?

22. Is the child sexually active?

23. Does the child smoke?

24. Has the child ever received a psychiatric or

psychological evaluation? What were the

recommendations?

25. Will the child be in therapy? Where? How

often? Who transports?

26. Is the foster family expected to participate in

therapy sessions?

27. Is the child on probation? Why? What are the

conditions of probation?

28. If this isn’t the child’s ﬁrst foster home, does

the child have an assessed MAPCY level?

What is it?

29. Is an initial clothing allowance needed?

30. Does the child take any medication? If so,

what medication? Why? What are the side

eﬀects of the medication?

When a foster child comes

to your home

Children will diﬀer in their responses to

placement. Some may show signs that they

are depressed, angry or scared. Others may

appear have no reaction at all. Most will have

responses somewhere in between.

Giving the child permission to be sad or mad

about not being with his or her family can

decrease some of the discomfort the child feels.

This will also help to increase the child’s ability

to trust you.

Eventually, most foster children will exhibit some

behaviors associated with the trauma they may

have experienced. Some may test your limits. This

can happen in a variety of ways. Sometimes, a

child may refuse to eat, cling to you, wet the bed,

become deﬁant, or express anger toward you or

other members of your family. With patience, you

can help a child to understand that they are safe

and that their needs will be met.

When a child ﬁrst comes to your home, do not

assume that they know how to do all tasks that

may be typically expected of a child their age.

Do not assume that expectations and norms

were the same at their previous homes as they

will be at your home. Take the time to explain

how your family does things like housework or

eats meals. Be clear about expectations around

privacy, sharing, personal space, etc. Be patient

and allow children time to learn the routines

and expectations.

47 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

In the initial days of placement, the placing worker

or placement support team staﬀ will provide you

with a Child Information form. Take the time to

review the information about the child and sign

the form. If you have questions, reach out to the

placing worker or placement support team staﬀ.

If your home is the ﬁrst placement for the child

since being removed from the parents’ care,

someone from the placement support team will

be in touch with you to assist with the comfort

call (see Comfort calls). They also will attempt to

set up an initial meeting for you, the parent, and

the child, if possible. Behind the scenes, they will

be working on obtaining information about who

the child’s primary doctor is and ensuring that

any necessary physical exams or check-ups

are arranged.

As you get to know the children placed in your

care, communicate any concerns you have with

the workers. They will assist with setting up

services that a child may need, such as mental

health or school supports.

When a placement isn’t working

Talk frequently and openly with your licensor

and the child’s placing worker throughout the

placement. Let the worker know the diﬃculties

you are having and what you have tried.

The worker may be able to provide you with

additional resources to turn the placement

into a successful one.

Be a good advocate with the agency, school

and medical systems to get the child what he or

she needs. Services that can help may include

personal care attendants, extra respite, therapy or

specialized school services.

If you decide that you need to end a placement,

you must work with the agency to ensure a

planned discharge. Foster parents agree, when

signing the Agreement between Foster Parents

and Child Foster Care Licensing Agency, to work

with the agency to ﬁnd additional strategies

and supports to resolve issues before requesting

removal of a child. If those eﬀorts have been

exhausted and you do want to request removal,

you must provide the agency with suﬃcient time

(45 days if possible) to plan for discharge.

End of placement

When your foster child leaves, regardless of where

the child is going, the following must be sent

along with the child:

• A schedule of feedings, depending on the

child’s age

• Details of the child’s sleep habits, food or

other allergies and general likes and dislikes

• Anything that the parents have given the child

• The child’s toys

• A properly maintained and complete

wardrobe that matches or exceeds the

Minimum Clothing Standard. See Clothing.

• Anything for which you received

reimbursement, like a bike or sporting

equipment

• Anything else that clearly has belonged

to the child

• The child’s medical card and any

medical equipment

• Any gifts you or others have given the child

Belongings must be packed in appropriate

luggage, such as a suitcase or duﬀel bag. Garbage

bags or other disposable bags are not suitable.

This list is not meant to be all-inclusive. If you are

in doubt as to what should be sent, consult the

child’s worker.

Have the Foster Child Minimum Clothing Standard

completed and give it to the child’s worker on the

day the placement ends.

48 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Ongoing contact with former

foster children

Non-relative foster parents who would like to

maintain contact with a foster child should check

with the child’s worker ﬁrst.

If you receive approval to maintain contact, you

must also receive prior approval from the child’s

worker and your licensing worker if you want

to have the child visit in your home. These visits

may have an impact on other placements in

your home.

Preplacement visits

When non-relative foster parents are considering

placement of a child, the licensing worker, placing

worker, and sometimes placement support team

staﬀ, will collaborate to ensure that information

about the child’s needs is shared with you.

In most cases, there likely will not be an

opportunity for a preplacement visit with the

children. However, there are some circumstances

where a preplacement visit is possible and is in

the best interest of the child.

In these cases, the child’s worker would work

with you to arrange for a preplacement visit. A

preplacement visit can help you, the worker, and

the child (depending on development and age)

to assess if the placement is a good ﬁt.

Depending upon the age of the child and the

child’s needs, the preplacement visit may be a

matter of hours, days, or a series of weekends.

For any overnight preplacement visit, foster

parents may be eligible for reimbursement.

• If the decision is made not to place the child in

your home after a preplacement visit, submit

a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher to the

child’s placing worker for payment. Make

sure to include on the voucher that this was

a preplacement visit. The form is available at

www.hennepin.us/fosterparents.

• If the child is ultimately placed in your home,

indicate the days of the preplacement visit(s)

on the monthly voucher.

– A preplacement visit of three days or less

will be reimbursed for each day.

– A preplacement of four or more days will

be reimbursed for the ﬁrst and subsequent

days, but not the

last day (i.e., the day the

child leaves)

Out of Home

Placement Plan

When a child is placed in foster care, the parents,

child protection worker, foster care licensing

worker, guardian ad litem, the child’s tribe (if

applicable) and foster parents come together to

make up the team that will be working with the

child and family. A tool that is used to begin this

teaming process is the Out of Home Placement

Plan (OHPP).

• The OHPP is a written document that describes

the out of home placement, the reason for

the out of home placement, the services that

will be provided to the parents and child, the

visitation plan, and more.

• The OHPP should be completed within the

ﬁrst 30 days of placement.

• Everyone involved with the child, including

the foster family, parents, and social workers,

helps create this plan.

49 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

• Each party signs the plan and is given a copy.

You should receive a copy of the OHPP for

every child you have in placement. If you do

not receive a copy of the OHPP, contact the

placing worker.

• Your name and address may be listed on the

OHPP, in accordance with Minnesota Statute

260.176, sub 3(b). This will be omitted in cases

where providing this information would

lead to endangerment for the child and/or

foster family.

• If you have questions about the OHPP, contact

the child’s worker or your licensing worker.

Initial foster care phone calls

(comfort calls)

Minnesota law requires that all agencies

coordinate an initial foster care phone call (also

known as a comfort call) between a child’s

parent(s) or legal guardian(s) and foster parents

within 72 hours of a child being placed or moved

to a new foster home.

The Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) is an

approach to strengthening foster care. See the

below QPI recommendations about initial foster

care phone calls, and ﬁnd more information at

www.qpimn.org. The goal of the call is to:

• Set the stage for partnership between the birth

family and foster family.

• Open the door for birth and foster families

to ask questions to one another that support

the child/youth during the diﬃcult time of

initial separation.

• Provide a smoother transition for the child by

allowing the foster parent to ask for speciﬁc

information about the child’s needs, routines,

likes, dislikes, comforts, etc.

• Provide the birth parent with an opportunity to

share what they believe is most

important to know about their child

with the foster parent.

Recommendations for foster parents:

• The call should occur within the ﬁrst 48 hours

after the child/youth has been placed outside

of their family’s care.

• This call is not conducted in the presence of

the child/youth; its primary purpose is initiating

partnership between the birth family and foster

parents.

• If the birth family is not ready to participate

in the conversation, that is okay. Oﬀer

understanding by sharing with them that

you would want to know this information if

the roles were reversed and can answer their

questions later if they prefer.

• The removal of children is stressful and

overwhelming for parents; there may be

another family member the birth family would

like to have called and relayed information

(such as grandmother or other relative or family

friend).

Options to initiate the comfort call:

• The foster family initiates the call. Information

needed to make the call is provided by the

child’s worker.

• The child’s worker and foster parent call the

birth family together.

• The child’s worker calls the birth family and if

they are willing to talk with the foster family,

a three-way call occurs or the foster family is

given the okay to call the family.

Tips for foster parents:

• Explain why you are calling and who you are.

Share information about yourself, such as

– How long you have been a foster parent

– Who lives in your home, including pets

– What activities or hobbies you have

– Information about your daily routine

50 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

• Ask the parent for information that would be

good for you to know about their child(ren)/

youth, while you are caring for them. Examples

of speciﬁc questions you can ask are

– What is the child(ren)/youth’s favorite food?

– Do they have a favorite toy or game they

like to play?

– What do you do to provide comfort to the

child(ren)/youth?

– What is a nickname that they might go by?

– If an infant or baby: Is there a type of

formula or baby food they prefer?

– Do they have a primary doctor?

– Any food allergies or medical prescriptions I

should know about?

• Tell how the foster child is doing:

– How their ﬁrst few nights went and

how they slept

– When their child will go back to

school/daycare

What to do if the phone call becomes unhelpful:

• These phone calls are meant to be helpful to

all persons and demonstrate care and concern

for the child/youth.

• If the phone call is not going well and the

birth parent is not ready and able to have

the conversation, end the call in a calm

manner by simply restating why you made

the phone call and indicate that you hope

to communicate in the future.

• If you do have to end the conversation,

contact the child’s worker and let them

know what happened.

This comfort call is meant to be the beginning

of a relationship between the birth and foster

families. We know that children and youth do best

when there is strengthened communication and

relationship between their caregivers. Be sure to

share with the placing worker/agency how the

phone call went if they were not involved.

Supervised visits

When children are in foster care, it is vital that

they be able to maintain their important family

attachments. One way to maintain those

connections, and to reduce feelings of loss for

children, is supervised visits between children

and parents. Sometimes, there may also be

supervised visits between children and other

family members.

In some cases, placing workers or contracted

social workers will supervise visits in the

community. In other cases, supervised visits

will happen at visitation centers. At times, foster

parents may be supervising parent-child visits

as well.

Visitation centers

The visitation center is staﬀed with workers

who guide parents in nurturing, communication

and building self-esteem in their children.

You may be expected to transport the child

to the center. If you are not able to transport

the child, the child’s social worker may set up

transportation services.

Supervised visits in the community

Supervising agencies provide staﬀ persons to

supervise visits between foster children and

their parents in the community. The visits will be

arranged at appropriate community settings such

as treatment centers, parks, government buildings,

and foster care residences. The foster parent may

be asked to transport the children to the arranged

visit setting to meet the visitation supervisor.

51 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Expectations for

supporting visitation

• Arrive on time. Visits are often scheduled

back-to-back. If you arrive late, staﬀ cannot

guarantee the visit will be extended to give

parents and children their full time together.

• Call the visitation supervisor if you are

not coming or if you will be late for the

scheduled visit.

• You must wait 15 minutes past the scheduled

time for parents to arrive. Parents often use

public transportation or depend on others for

rides. After 15 minutes, you may choose to wait

longer, or you can leave. If the parents do not

arrive for the visit, email the child’s social worker

to inform them of the outcome of the visit and

complete an incident report form and send to

your licensing social worker.

• Children, regardless of age, must be delivered

to and picked up from a visitation center staﬀ

person. Staﬀ cannot be expected to come

out to your car, but they may be ﬂexible in

unique circumstances.

• When dropping oﬀ babies or young children,

please have extra outﬁts, diapers, wipes,

formula, bottles and any ointments that the

child uses, as well as a few healthy snacks

(unless food is being provided by the parents).

Include a plastic bag for any dirty clothing.

Home visits

Home visiting is a valuable tool used to promote

proactive interactions, encourage healthy foster

parent-child relationships, ensure safety, and

provide access to services.

How you can prepare

When a social worker or other team member

comes to your home for a meeting:

• Prior to the meeting, prepare a written list of

questions or issues you want to discuss.

• Have the names and phone numbers of others

concerned with the foster child available at the

meeting so that you can share the information

if needed.

• If the children in your home are not to be

present for part of the meeting, have an activity

planned for them so that they will not be

interrupting or eavesdropping.

• Introduce everyone in your home. Then ask

others to give you privacy so that you are free

to discuss private information about the child

with the worker.

• The worker may want to view the child’s

sleeping space or speak alone with the

child and foster parents are expected to

accommodate that.

Social workers must meet with

children outside the presence of

foster parents

All children in out of home placement must have

a face-to-face visit with their caseworker at least

once per month. Most visits occur in the child’s

residence, but some visits may occur in other

locations if it is appropriate for the child, such as

school, in the community, etc.

52 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

During each monthly visit with children age 4 or

older, social workers should spend time with the

child separate from their foster parent.

There may be situations when the social worker

determines it is not in the child’s best interest to

visit with them alone, but these exceptions should

be rare. It is considered standard practice for social

workers to have private visitation time with a child

every month.

This practice promotes child safety and well-

being and keeps the child at the center of our

work. It is a way to build a trusting relationship

with a child and gives them an opportunity to

share information and ask questions that may be

diﬃcult with their foster parent present. It also

builds consistent expectations for children while

they are in placement—they know what to expect

during a visit and that they will always have access

to a private conversation with their social worker

without having to ask for it.

During alone time with child, caseworkers can

explore the following:

• Whether child feels safe in the home or

placement setting

• Determine child’s needs, wants, and

progress in case plan

• Understand the relationships between children,

parents and caregivers

• Discover child’s important relationships,

connections to the community and

cultural needs

• Learn about child’s participation in school

and age-appropriate activities

• Determine child’s need for medical or

other social services

Family Group Decision

Making (FGDM)

Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is a family-

centered, strengths-based and culturally relevant

approach to engaging families that can aid the

collaboration between the family, the agency, and

other important people.

In Hennepin County, FGDM is an umbrella term

that includes a wide variety of facilitated meetings

designed to develop a collaborative plan for the

protection, safety and care of children.

FGDM gathers the parents and the extended

family of children involved with Hennepin County

Child Protection, or other child

welfare services, together to thoughtfully

and carefully plan for the protection and

safety of their children.

Relative foster parents are frequently asked to

participate in these meetings. Non-relative foster

parents may be asked as well. If you are invited

to participate in a meeting, the FGDM facilitator

will reach out to you in advance to discuss the

purpose and answer any questions you have.

53 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 7

Financial

Understanding the assessment

and payment process, and what

expenses foster parents are

responsible for.

Northstar Care for Children

The goal of Northstar Care for Children is to

increase the number of Minnesota children

placed with permanent caregivers. A uniform

assessment process is a central feature of

Northstar Care for Children. This assessment is

called the Minnesota Assessment of Parenting

for Children and Youth, or MAPCY.

The MAPCY is the tool used to determine the

supplemental monthly payment amounts for

children placed. This supplemental amount is

in addition to the basic maintenance rate.

The MAPCY is about parenting, not services.

Parenting is what parents do — whether foster

parents, relative custodians, or adoptive parents.

The MAPCY measures the parenting involved in

raising young people as well as the individual

needs of the child.

MAPCY

A uniform assessment process called the

Minnesota Assessment of Parenting for Children

and Youth (MAPCY) is a key part of Northstar

Care for Children. The MAPCY is the tool used

to determine supplemental monthly payment

amounts for children placed in foster care. This

supplemental amount is in addition to the basic

maintenance rate.

A completed MAPCY will answer two primary

questions about the youth in your care:

• What are the young person’s needs?

• What parenting are you doing to meet

those needs?

The MAPCY measures eight domains. The eight

domains are:

• Placement experience

• Dynamics in the caregiver’s home

• Supervision, guidance & structure

• Mental health, physical health & development

• Preserving connections

• Developing identity

• Education

• Child care (ages birth – 12 only)

MAPCY assessment process

Up to the ﬁrst 30 days of a child’s initial out of

home placement, foster providers are paid an

emergency foster care rate to cover costs related

to settling children into foster care. In Hennepin

County, that emergency foster care rate is a

Level G. The rates are set and published by the

Minnesota Department of Human Services on

an annual basis.

After the ﬁrst 30 days of initial placement, the

foster care rate is determined by the child’s

MAPCY assessment, plus the basic maintenance

rate. Hennepin County has a team of staﬀ

who specialize in MAPCY assessments. You

will be contacted by one of them to set up

an assessment meeting. Prior to the meeting,

a prep sheet will be sent to you. The purpose

of this document is to assist foster parents to

prepare for the meeting.

54 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

There are multiple questions about each domain.

The MAPCY assessor enters information into

a database for each domain, based on the

information provided by you. The database then

determines the level for each domain.

During the assessment, it is important for you

to communicate thorough and complete

information regarding care provided to the

children. This will help ensure the assessment

outcome matches the child’s needs.

Financial information

Basic maintenance rate

The basic maintenance rate is intended to

reimburse foster parents for the costs of meeting

the needs of foster children.

These needs include:

• A bed, a clean mattress that is in good

condition, a pillow, sheets and blankets for

each foster child.

• A dresser or some place for the child to

put belongings.

• Age-appropriate toys and play equipment for

physical, mental and social development.

• Car seats and booster seats that meet current

federal safety regulations and are appropriate

for the child’s age and weight.

• Snacks and three nutritionally balanced meals

per day.

• A complete wardrobe of clothing that is

maintained as the child grows and the seasons

change. See Clothing.

• Incidentals, such as grooming supplies,

school supplies, routine transportation costs,

non-prescription medical supplies, and fees

for leisure time activities.

• Allowance, if age appropriate.

• Gifts for holidays and birthdays.

A portion of the basic rate is intended to

reimburse foster parents for the increased

household costs such as electricity, heat

and water.

Items such as furniture, car seats, over-the-counter

drugs, toys and games, wear and tear or damage

to your property are considered to be reimbursed

with the basic foster care rate.

See MAPCY

Voucher

For foster care reimbursement, a voucher is mailed

to foster parents the second to last working day

of the month to cover that month’s care. If you

have not received your voucher by the ﬁfth

working day of the month, call accounting.

See Where to call.

You can complete your paper voucher and return

it to Hennepin County by mail. However, we

encourage you to instead submit your voucher

using our online invoicing system. Instructions

for completing vouchers can be found in

Appendix C (paper) and Appendix E (online).

Other factors relating to your voucher

• If a child has a MAPCY level beyond the Basic

rate and it is not listed on the voucher, add a

note to the voucher stating the MAPCY level

and also notify the child’s worker.

• For any foster home placement of three days

or less, the agency will reimburse for the day

the child arrives and the day the child leaves.

For any foster home placement of four days or

more, the agency will reimburse for the day the

child arrives, but not the day the child leaves.

55 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

• If a foster child is gone from your home

(runaway, in the hospital or on a home visit,

etc.), you will be reimbursed the full foster care

rate including MAPCY level, for up through ﬁve

days if the case plan is for the child to return to

your home. You may be reimbursed for up to

14 days in some circumstances. If a child is gone

from your home, any reimbursement of six days

or more requires program manager approval.

If the child has not returned within these time

limits, all reimbursements will be discontinued.

If you are receiving any other funding for your

foster child, such as Supplemental Security

Income (SSI), you must report this so that

foster care reimbursement can be adjusted

accordingly. You may not receive income from

more than one source for a foster child and

Hennepin County should be the representative

payee for all Social Security beneﬁts for a foster

child. Accounting will contact you to work

out a repayment plan if an overpayment

has occurred.

Your foster care check

If you have payment problems or billing questions,

call Accounting. See Where to call.

• In general, payments arrive within 10 days.

• Wait 10 working days from the date you

submitted your voucher online or mailed

the voucher before calling to check on your

payment. This number is available only during

business hours.

• Have your provider number and client case

number ready when you call.

Supplemental Security

Income (SSI)

You may not receive income from more than one

source for a foster child.

• If you are receiving any other funding for your

foster child, such as Supplemental Security

Income (SSI), you must report this so that

foster care reimbursement can be adjusted

accordingly.

• If a foster child receives Social Security beneﬁts,

those payments should come directly to

Hennepin County.

If you have received any social security beneﬁts

for your foster child, Hennepin County Accounting

will contact you to work out a repayment plan if

an overpayment has occurred.

56 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Miscellaneous expenses

Generally, all expenses of caring for a foster child

are reimbursed as part of the basic foster care rate.

Some very limited expenses may be reimbursed

separately. These could include some portions of:

• School events

• High school graduation expenses

• Driver’s training

• Family vacation expenses

• Musical instruments

• Lessons

• Sports and recreational equipment,

including bicycles

• Special hair and hygiene products

Reimbursement for these expenses may not

always be available. To request reimbursement,

you must:

• Get prior approval from the placing worker.

• Complete a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher

and give it to the child’s worker. This form is

available at www.hennepin.us/fosterparents

or can be sent to you electronically by your

licensing worker. Contact your licensing worker

for further assistance.

• Request reimbursement within 30 days of

the expenditure.

Phone expenses

If you purchase a cell phone for a foster child,

you are responsible for the associated expenses

through your monthly reimbursement

(See MAPCY).

Phone expenses are only reimbursed by the

agency if speciﬁcally outlined in the child’s case

plan or ordered by a court. If that is the case,

complete a Miscellaneous Expenditure Voucher

and give it to the child’s worker with a copy of

the phone bill.

WIC (Women, Infants

& Children — Special

Supplemental Nutrition

Program)

Foster children under the age of ﬁve may be

eligible for WIC. WIC provides vouchers for free

food including formula, fruits and vegetables,

cereal, juice, milk, eggs and peanut butter, beans

and more.

If the foster child meets initial requirements, you

will be asked to bring the child to a WIC clinic

for an assessment to determine ﬁnal eligibility.

See Where to call.

57 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 8

Medical

Physical health is key to well-

being. Help the kids in your

care meet medical, dental, and

specialized care needs.

Medical and dental care

• Prior to accepting a child for placement,

consider whether the child needs any

special health care and whether you

are able to provide or arrange that.

See Medical equipment.

• Foster parents are responsible for arranging

routine medical and dental care for foster

children and follow-up appointments such

as therapy.

• Foster parents do not have the authority to

arrange for anything but routine medical care

for foster children. If a doctor or medical facility

determines that appropriate and routine care

includes necessary tests, immunizations and

vaccinations for the child, you may consent

to those routine procedures. If the doctor

recommends more than routine care for

the child, contact the child’s worker who

will obtain the necessary permission.

• Consult your foster child’s worker about any

medical developments or concerns.

• If a foster child has not had a physical exam at

or before placement, discuss with the child’s

worker who will take the child for an exam

within the ﬁrst 30 days of placement.

• After the initial exam, foster children must have

medical and dental examinations annually

while in placement.

• If there is a possibility that a foster child may

have a communicable disease, you must take

the child to a doctor and follow the medical

treatment plan.

Medical and dental

emergencies

If a child in your care experiences a medical or

dental emergency, you should:

• Immediately seek professional medical care

for the child.

• Inform the doctor or hospital that you are a

foster parent and do not have the authority to

give medical consent, which must be given by

the parent or guardian. In cases where the state

is the guardian, the designated representative

in the county can sign medical consents.

• During business hours, immediately call the

child’s worker who will locate the parents or

guardian or obtain a court order.

• If you are unable to reach the child’s

worker during business hours, call the

worker’s supervisor.

• If it is after normal business hours, call the

emergency after hours number: 612-348-3552.

• Emergency medical, dental, mental and other

health services may be provided to a foster

child without the consent of the parent or legal

guardian when, in the professional’s judgment,

the risk to the child’s life or health is of such a

nature that treatment should be given without

delay and the requirement of consent would

result in delay or denial of treatment.

58 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Medical coverage

Every foster child is eligible for medical insurance.

Foster children can have medical insurance

through the following:

• Their parents’ private health insurance.

• Medical Assistance (MA) Fee-for-Service

• A Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP).

PMAP providers for children in Hennepin

County are:

– Hennepin Health

– UCare

– HealthPartners

– Blue Plus

• Hennepin County funds pay for medical

services if no other medical coverage

is available.

• A combination of the above options.

It is important to know that:

• When a foster child is placed in your home,

you should receive information about a child’s

medical insurance coverage from the child’s

worker. If you do not, make sure to ask for it

right away.

• The foster child’s worker should give you the

child’s insurance card. Use the card when

accessing medical services. If they are unable to

provide you with the card right away, they can

give you the child’s PMI number which allows

providers to look up the most current health

insurance information.

• The foster parent must not take the child to a

doctor or medical provider who is not covered

by the child’s health plan.

Once the foster child’s placement ends, it is

required that the foster parents return the child’s

medical insurance card to the placing worker.

If you are asked to sign any billing-related

documents, please write “Hennepin County” as

the responsible party on the documents. Do not

put your personal information on them.

Medical Assistance — PMAP

Most foster children will be on MA-PMAP

(Pre-paid Medical Assistance Program). As of

January 2023, current MA-PMAP providers for

children in Hennepin County are Hennepin Health,

UCare, HealthPartners, Medica, United HealthCare,

and Blue Plus.

Medical services provided through the PMAP are

the same services provided through MA Fee-for-

Service (for example: dental, eye care, pharmacies,

mental health care or services from physicians or

medical facilities). If the foster child is on a PMAP,

you must ensure that the child is seeing providers

who are in that PMAP’s network.

The foster child’s worker should give you the

child’s insurance card. Use the card when

accessing services. In the event that they are

unable to provide you with the card right away,

they can give you the child’s PMI number and

name of the PMAP provider, which allows health

care providers to look up the most current health

insurance information.

Medical Assistance — Fee-For-Service

Children on MA Fee-for-Service (also known as

“straight MA”) may go to any physician, dentist,

eye care provider, pharmacy, medical facility,

mental health provider or other medical provider

who accepts Minnesota Medical Assistance.

If a foster child is on MA Fee-for-Service, ask

medical providers if they accept Minnesota

Medical Assistance.

59 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

The foster child’s worker should give you the

child’s insurance card. Use the card when

accessing medical services. In the event that they

are unable to provide you with it right away, they

can give you the child’s PMI number which allows

providers to look up the most current health

insurance information.

If you are unsure of PMAP or

MA coverage

If you are unsure what health plan a child is

enrolled in, but you have the PMI number, you

can contact the Eligibility Veriﬁcation System (EVS).

Using this system allows you to verify the foster

child’s MA eligibility and which plan the foster

child is enrolled in.

To use EVS, see Where to call.

• Select option 1.

• Enter the provider number 024018400

Enter the foster child’s PMI number OR the foster

child’s Social Security number and date of birth.

Managed health care

plan representatives

Each managed health care plan (e.g. Blue Plus,

Health Partners, Hennepin Health, UCare) has

member service representatives who can help

you access medical services for the foster child.

If a service representative will not talk with you

about accessing medical services for the foster

child, it may be because they need authorization

to talk to you. If this happens, contact the foster

child’s worker.

For managed health care plan numbers, see

Where to call.

Medical transportation and

mileage reimbursement

• If a foster child who is on a PMAP needs

transportation to a medical or dental

appointment, call the child’s PMAP

medical provider.

• If the child is on MA Fee-for-Service and

needs transportation to a medical or dental

appointment, you can request assistance

from Minnesota Non-Emergency Medical

Transportation (MNET). Call MNET

(1-866-467-1724) at least ﬁve days in advance

of the appointment.

• You can request mileage and parking

reimbursement if you transport a child to a

medical or dental appointment. Regardless

of the child’s medical insurance provider,

contact MNET at 1-866-467-1724 to request

this in advance of the appointment. MNET

will give you instructions for keeping a log

and obtaining signatures from the medical

providers. You will need to bring the log to the

appointments. Keep your parking receipts and

send the required documentation to MNET.

For additional information about MNET, see

their website at www.mtm-inc.net/minnesota.

See Where to call.

60 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Managed Health

Care Advocates

Hennepin County has Managed Health Care

(MHC) Advocates to help you access medical

services through the managed health care plan.

See Where to call.

Please call the MHC Advocate hotline if:

• You have not been able to get the foster child’s

Medical Assistance information from the child’s

worker or the worker’s supervisor.

• A medical provider asks you to pay for

medical service.

• You are having problems with the managed

health care plan.

• You are having problems getting medical

services for the foster child.

Medical equipment

Minnesota law requires foster parents to be

trained by a qualiﬁed source on life-sustaining

medical equipment if they must use that

equipment with their foster children.

• The law covers common medical devices such

as nebulizers, as well as less common medical

devices such as syringes for injection, blood

glucometers, feeding tubes and pumps, suction

machines, oxygen, C-pap and B-pap machines.

A qualiﬁed source to train you is a person with

medical training or a vendor of the equipment.

Another foster parent who has been trained is not

a qualiﬁed source to train you.

• If other adults in your house administer the

medical equipment, they also must be trained

by a qualiﬁed source. In other words, foster

parents cannot train their partner, spouse

or babysitter.

• If you have not had a placement and did not

use the equipment in the past six months, you

must be retrained before you can take a new

placement and use the equipment.

• This law also applies to equipment used for

children in respite care or on pre-placement

visits with you.

• The agency is required to keep a record of your

training. If you are using medical equipment

with foster children in your home, your

licensing worker should have documentation of

your training on ﬁle.

• If a child already in your home is prescribed

new medical equipment, you should be trained

immediately and you should send in the

documentation of your training to your licensor.

Usually, the doctor’s staﬀ or the equipment

vendor will train you.

• Ask your licensing worker for the form used to

document the training. Keep a supply on hand.

• If you don’t have the form, get a letter or note

from the trainer to document the training.

• In order to comply with this law, it is essential

that you do not take foster placements, respite

placements or pre-placements of children

who need to use medical equipment unless

you and others who help care for the children

have been trained by a professional to use

the equipment.

61 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Medication and prescriptions

• You may give appropriate over-the-counter

medications according to the manufacturer’s

label.

• You may not give a foster child any prescription

medicine or vitamin supplements unless

directed by a doctor.

• You must follow the prescription’s directions,

or the doctor’s directions regarding any

vitamin supplements.

• You may not change or discontinue prescribed

medications without a doctor’s approval.

• If a psychotropic drug is prescribed by a

doctor for mental health issues such as ADHD

(Attention Deﬁcit Hyperactivity Disorder),

depression or anxiety, contact the child’s

worker. The worker will need to obtain

approval for this before you give the

medication to the child.

• Make sure the school has the medication if

the child needs to take it during school hours.

• A babysitter must be 18 years or older in

order to give medication to a foster child.

You are responsible for making sure the

babysitter understands and follows the

prescription directions.

See Prescription payments

Prescription payments

If you need to pay for a foster child’s prescribed

medicine because the pharmacy cannot verify

the child’s medical coverage:

• Complete a Miscellaneous Expenditure

Voucher form.

• Attach a copy of the receipt.

• Give these to the child’s placing worker

within 30 days of purchase in order to

receive reimbursement.

See Medicine and prescriptions.

See Medical coverage

62 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Section 9

Emergencies and other incidents

Be prepared. Know what to do in

emergency situations, and learn

how complaints are handled.

Emergencies

If your foster child is having a mental health crisis,

notify the child’s social worker immediately. If

the situation is life-threatening and you need an

immediate response, call 911.

If the incident is not life-threatening but still an

emergency, call and speak with the child’s social

worker. If you can’t reach the child’s social worker

call the social worker’s supervisor. You can also

contact the mobile crisis team.

If it is after hours and the workers are unavailable,

call 612-348-3552 to report.

Mental health crisis services

If someone in your home is experiencing a mental

health crisis, you can contact the Cope mobile

crisis team.

For children 17 and under: call 612-348-2233

For adults 18 and over: call 612-596-1223

The mobile crisis team:

• Is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week,

365 days a year

• May come to your home, school, or other

public place

• Will attempt to calm the situation and help you

to decide what to do next

• Oﬀer other types of help depending on

your situation

Reporting emergencies

Following any emergency, it is important to report

the incident to the child’s social worker and your

licensing social worker. Things to immediately

report to child’s social worker and your licensing

social worker:

• An injury to a child that requires emergency

medical treatment.

• Hospitalization of a child.

• A child whose behavior is injurious to self

or others. If you cannot control the child,

call 911 ﬁrst.

• A child returned to you from a parental visit

with unexplained injuries.

• A child telling you of alleged abuse or neglect.

• A parent not returning a child at the end of

a visit.

• A lost or runaway child.

• Any time you have called the crisis team.

The above is not a complete list. If in doubt about

calling, it is better to do so.

For all other incidents, be sure to complete an

incident report within 24 hours.

See: Where to call and Incident report

63 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Incident reports

Foster parents are required to ﬁle incident reports

to notify agency workers of any accidents, injuries,

hospitalizations, marks or bruises, illnesses, assaults

or threats or unusual behavior involving foster

children. This is part of the “Agreement between

Foster Parents and Child Foster Care Licensing

Agency” form. Incident reports also give foster

parents an opportunity to explain how or why the

incident occurred, as well as a way to document

that the incident was reported as required.

There are two steps to filing an

incident report:

1. Notify both your licensing worker and the

child’s worker immediately by phone. Leave a

voice message with a brief description of the

incident if the workers are not available.

2. Complete an incident report. Fully describe

the incident including the date, the time, the

people involved, the action taken, etc. Send

it to your licensing worker within 24 hours of

the incident. You can use the incident report

form that is available on www.hennepin.us/

fosterparents.

The following incidents require the completion

of an incident report:

• Calls made to 911 and any contact with

the police department regardless of reason

or outcome

• Bruises

• Head lice, scabies, and all other

contagious diseases

• Bites

• Marks that appear following a child’s visit

with parents or relatives

• Signiﬁcant behavioral issues including

stealing, hitting, etc.

• Self-inﬂicted injuries

• Sexual play, sexual acting-out and/or stories

by the child about sexual abuse

• Marks that occurred while the child was

at school

• Bruises, scratches, marks or diaper rashes that

were on a child at the time of a pre-placement,

placement or respite in your home

• Running away, missing or unauthorized absence

• Injuries to the eye, head, mouth and teeth

• Visits to the hospital, emergency room or

urgent care

• Admissions to the hospital

• Suicide attempts, threats or ideations

• Evidence of internal injuries

• Broken bones, fractures and dislocations

• Hypothermia, frostbite, sunstroke and

heat exhaustion

• Burns

• Near-drowning accidents

• Ingestion of foreign or poisonous substances

• Puncture wounds, tetanus shots

• Any time you have contacted

emergency services

• Extreme or unusual behaviors

The list is not all-inclusive. If you are in doubt

about whether to complete an incident report,

contact your licensing worker.

If any injury requires urgent care or hospitalization

after hours, call Emergency After Hours at

612-348-3552. See Where to call.

If the accident/injury is one that may result in

a claim against you, notify the Minnesota Joint

Underwriting Association. See Insurance coverage.

64 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Complaints

When the agency receives a complaint about a

foster home, whether it is a potential violation of

foster care rules or potential maltreatment, it must

be investigated.

Avoiding complaints

Complete incident reports and keep social

workers informed

The most common complaints involve a lack of

cooperation with the agency. Usually that means

an incident report was not done or your licensing

worker and the child workers were not informed

about things like:

• Severe diaper rash

• Changing day care arrangements

• Using respite

• A child on run all night

• Bruises on a child

This is not a complete list of situations that require

incident reports. See Incident reports.

Follow the foster care rule about discipline

The foster care licensing rule about discipline says

“no hitting, slapping, pinching, shaking, kicking or

biting.” Do not use any form of physical discipline.

See Appendix: Child Foster Care Discipline Policy.

Take children to appointments

Take children to initial and follow-up

appointments which include therapy, medical,

dental, or other appointments.

Cooperate with visits

Cooperate with the plan for visits. Prior to

accepting a placement, clarify the following

with the child’s worker:

• How often are the visits?

• Who will visit?

• Who arranges the visits?

• Where are the visits held?

• What is required from me regarding

transportation for the visits?

Answers to these questions should be written in

the Out of Home Placement Plan.

Do not allow parental or other unauthorized

visits that have not been ordered by the court or

written in the Out of Home Placement Plan.

Supervise children

Provide a higher level of supervision for foster

children than you might for most children,

especially initially. Many children in foster care

have experienced trauma and monitoring for

any concerns with aggressive or harmful behaviors

is important.

Administer prescription medication as directed

by the child’s doctor

Children need to take their medication as directed.

Make sure the school has the medication if it

needs to be taken during school hours.

65 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Let us know who lives in your household

Let your licensing worker know right away if

someone is going to move into your home. This

includes family members who previously lived

with you. If someone is visiting (staying overnight)

let your licensing worker also know that. Do not

allow anyone into your home, even to visit, who

presents a risk to the foster child.

Do not let anyone use your address who is not

living in your home. We will consider someone

using your address as living in your home.

Let us know about other changes in your

household Let your licensing worker know right

away if you or other household members have:

• Any medical concerns or hospitalizations

• Involvement in counseling that included a

mental health assessment or drug/alcohol

assessment or treatment

• Contact with law enforcement

• A change in marital status including separations

• Sought an order for protection or

harassment order

• A new phone number, including cell

phone numbers

• A plan to move

• Any social, emotional, medical or

educational diﬃculties that your own

children are experiencing

• A change of pets

Let your licensing worker know

beforehand about:

• Your vacation plans

• Any changes in bedrooms by household

members or anyone staying overnight

Stay in communication

• Return phone calls from the department

within two days

In summary:

• Follow the rules and expectations of the county

• Try to have a cordial, cooperative relationship

with the birth parents

• Complete incident reports whenever required

and send to workers on time

• Ask your licensing worker when you are

unsure if you should report something

regarding the foster child and/or something

within your household

Complaints about foster parents

• All licensed foster homes are bound by State of

Minnesota child foster care licensing rules and

statutes. All complaints against foster families

will be investigated.

• Complaints may contain child protection issues

(maltreatment), licensing issues, or both.

• Social workers may remove the foster

children from your home while a complaint

is being investigated.

• If the complaint is made to child protection

intake, an intake screener will determine

whether the complaint meets the criteria to be

investigated by the child protection program

pursuant to the Maltreatment of Minors Act,

MN Statute 260E.14, subdivisions 1-3. If the

complaint does not meet these criteria, the

licensing program will investigate the complaint

to determine whether there are any violations

of the licensing rules.

66 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Complaints containing child

protection (maltreatment) issues

Complaints containing licensing

issues, but not issues that

meet criteria for investigation

of maltreatment

Who investigates

A child protection worker will investigate

the complaint.

A licensing worker will investigate the complaint.

Notifying law enforcement

The child protection worker must notify

the local police department about the

complaint. The police may decide to conduct

a criminal investigation prior to the child

protection investigation.

The licensing worker generally will not contact the

local police department.

Notifying children’s biological parents

The workers of all the foster children in your

home are mandated by law to notify the

foster children’s parents.

Parents of foster children in your home are generally

not notiﬁed about licensing complaints.

Notifying children’s biological parents investigation process

The child protection worker may gather

information from the foster child, other

children who have lived in or are currently

living in your home (including your birth and

adopted children) and anyone else who may

have information.

The licensing worker may gather information from

the foster child, other children who have lived in or

are currently living in your home (including your birth

and adopted children) and anyone else who may

have information.

Who meets with you

The child protection worker will meet with

you to present information and to obtain

your explanation. Your licensing worker may

accompany the child protection worker, but the

child protection worker is the lead investigator.

The licensing worker will meet with you to present

information and to obtain your explanation.

Complaints against foster families

67 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Complaints containing child

protection (maltreatment) issues

Complaints containing licensing

issues, but not issues that

meet criteria for investigation

of maltreatment

Possible outcomes

There are two possible outcomes to a

child protection investigation:

There are three possible outcomes of a

licensing complaint investigation:

1. a ﬁnding of maltreatment

2. no ﬁnding of maltreatment

All complaints received by the agency must be

logged and kept in a central depository (known

as the Complaint Log) as well as in the foster

parent’s ﬁle. Information in the Complaint

Log is retained for at least seven years. The

information in the foster care ﬁle remains there

as an accurate account of the allegation and

investigative ﬁndings.

1. Occurred

2. Did not occur

3. No determination can be made

All complaints received by the agency must be

logged and kept in a central depository (known as

the Complaint Log) as well as in the foster parent’s

ﬁle. Information in the Complaint Log is retained for

at least seven years. The information in the foster

care ﬁle remains there as an accurate account of

the allegation and investigative ﬁndings.

How you are notified of the outcome

At the close of the investigation, the foster

parent will receive a written notice of

the determination.

At the close of the investigation, the foster parent

will be verbally informed of the ﬁndings and a letter

of ﬁndings will be sent.

Complaints against foster families, continued

68 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Complaints containing child

protection (maltreatment) issues

Complaints containing licensing

issues, but not issues that

meet criteria for investigation

of maltreatment

What happens next

If there is a ﬁnding of maltreatment that

meets the deﬁnition of MN Statute 260E.33

of “serious or recurring” maltreatment, it is a

disqualiﬁcation to family foster care licensure.

A consolidated Notice of Determination and

Disqualiﬁcation will be sent to the person

responsible for the maltreatment with

information on the disqualiﬁer and

appeal rights.

If there is a substantiated rule violation, it is

a statute requirement that, at minimum, a

Correction Order must be issued to the foster

parent. A Correction Order states the licensing

violation and gives you a time limit to respond in

writing how the violation will be corrected. You

have the right to request reconsideration of the

Correction Order to the Minnesota Department

of Human Services.

Depending on the seriousness of the

violation, there may also be a licensing

action. This may include the issuance of a

Correction Order and/or recommendations

to DHS for a conditional license, ﬁnes, denial

of an application, or revocation of the foster

care license.

If there is a ﬁnding of maltreatment, the

written complaint must be kept for 10 years

and then be destroyed.

Depending on the seriousness of the violation,

there may also be a licensing action. This may

include the issuance of a Correction Order and/

or recommendations to DHS for a conditional

license, ﬁnes, denial of an application, or

revocation of the foster care license.

If the complaint is classiﬁed as “did occur,” the

allegation, violation, corrective measure and

resolution will be dictated into your foster care

ﬁle. If you received a Correction Order, a copy of

it and your written response will also be kept in

your ﬁle.

If there is no ﬁnding of maltreatment, the

written complaint must be kept for four

years and then be destroyed.

If a licensing complaint is classiﬁed as “no

determination can be made,” an entry is made

into your licensing ﬁle which outlines the

complaint allegation, investigation outcomes, and

why no determination can be made.

If the licensing complaint is classiﬁed as “did

not occur,” an entry is made into your licensing

ﬁle reﬂecting the allegation, the investigative

outcomes, and why the complaint is classiﬁed as

“did not occur.”

Complaints against foster families, continued

69 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

There may be dual investigations, involving both

child protection investigating a maltreatment

issue, and licensing staﬀ investigating a licensing

issue. Even if child protection makes a “no ﬁnding

of maltreatment” determination, licensing

staﬀ may determine that a licensing violation

occurred. For example, spanking a foster child but

leaving no marks may result in a “no ﬁnding of

maltreatment” determination by child protection.

But this is a licensing violation and will likely

result in a licensing action. A summary of the

child protection investigation will be kept in your

licensing ﬁle if it is found that a licensing violation

occurred based on this complaint.

The existence and status of complaints regarding

your foster care license are public information. If

disciplinary action is taken against your license

or the complaint is resolved, the following

data are public information: the substance of

the complaint; the ﬁndings of the complaint

investigation; the record of informal resolution of

a licensing violation; orders of hearing; ﬁndings

of fact; and conclusions of law and speciﬁcations

of the ﬁnal disciplinary action contained in

the record.

Complaints about the department

If you disagree with an agency decision

or are dissatisﬁed with services from a

Hennepin County representative:

• Discuss the problem with the department

representative involved.

• If the issue is not resolved, call that person’s

supervisor or program manager to discuss the

issue. You may decide to ask for a meeting with

the supervisor or program manager. If your

concerns relate to a foster child, you may ask

to include the child’s worker, the guardian ad

litem, the therapist and your licensing worker

in the meeting.

• If the issue is not resolved after this meeting,

you may call the program or division manager

and request a meeting of all persons

signiﬁcantly involved in the issue. During

this call, identify whom else you would like

at the meeting.

• If you still feel as if the concern has not been

addressed adequately, you may call the Oﬃce

of the Ombudsperson who will forward your

concerns and complaints to the appropriate

manager and follow up to ensure that there

was some type of resolution. See Where to call.

• Understand that the ﬁnal decision-making

authority rests with the department or court.

• Cooperate with the child’s case plan even when

you are in the process of requesting that your

concern(s) be addressed.

Insurance coverage

Foster homes licensed by the Minnesota

Department of Human Services are covered by a

liability insurance policy through the Minnesota

Joint Underwriting Association (MJUA). This policy

is liability coverage only; it may pay for obligations

which are the result of actions taken as a foster

care provider. As with any insurance policy, there

are some exclusions.

If you have a question as to whether something

is covered, call MJUA.

If something happens that may result in a claim

against you, you must notify the MJUA as soon

as possible.

See Where to call.

70 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Runaway/missing children

If your foster child has run away, is missing, or is

absent without permission:

On weekdays:

• First, call the police and make a missing

child report.

• Call the child’s social worker, who will notify

the parents and other people who need to be

informed. If you can’t reach the social worker,

call the worker’s supervisor. If you can’t reach

the worker or supervisor, leave a message.

• Call your licensing social worker. If you can’t

reach them, leave a message.

• Complete an incident report and send it to your

licensing social worker within 24 hours.

On evenings and weekends:

• First, call the police and make a missing

child report.

• Then, call the after-hours emergency number

612-348-3552 and report the child missing.

• Leave a message for the child’s social worker.

• Leave a message for your licensing

social worker.

• Complete an incident report and send it to your

licensing social worker within 24 hours.

If the missing child returns home, immediately

notify the police and the child’s social worker. If

the police ﬁnd the runaway child, they may return

the child to your home.

71 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

72 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix A

73 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix A, page 2

74 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix A, page 3

75 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix A, page 4

76 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

For accessible formats of this information, ask your county worker.

For assistance with additional equal access to human services, contact

your county’s ADA coordinator.

(ADA4 [2-18])

Attention. If you need free help interpreting this document, call the above number.

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Attention. Si vous avez besoin d’une aide gratuite pour interpréter le présent document, veuillez appeler au

numéro ci-dessus.

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Hubachiisa. Dokumentiin kun tola akka siif hiikamu gargaarsa hoo feete, lakkoobsa gubbatti kenname bilbili.

Digniin. Haddii aad u baahantahay caawimaad lacag-la’aan ah ee tarjumaadda (afcelinta) qoraalkan, lambarka

kore wac.

Appendix A, page 5

77 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Hennepin County Health and Human Services- Child Foster Care Licensing

300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487

TDD: 612-348-5459| hennepin.us

Child Foster Care Discipline Policy

Minnesota Rules, part 2960.3080, Subp. 8

Foster Parent(s) Name(s): __________________________________________________ Provider #: _________________

Child Foster Care foster parent(s) must have and follow a discipline policy. In developing this policy, foster parent(s) must

consider the child/youth’s abuse history and needs relating to their developmental, cultural, disability, and gender needs.

Foster parent(s) should discuss the discipline policy with all caregivers.

I/we plan to:

• Praise and encourage the child/youth when:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

• Use a time-out, depending on their age and stage of development, when:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

• Give rewards, such as __________________________________________________________________, when

____________________________________________________________________________________________

• Take away privileges, such as ____________________________________________________________, when

____________________________________________________________________________________________

• Other (specify):

____________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

• Other (specify):

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Appendix B

78 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

By initialing below, I/we agree to NEVER:

_____ _____ use corporal punishment, such as spanking, rough handling, shoving, ear/hair pulling, shaking, slapping,

kicking, biting, pinching, hitting, throwing objects at the child.

_____ _____ use verbal abuse, such as name calling; disrespectful statements about the child/youth or child/youth’s

family, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, culture, statements meant to shame, threaten,

humiliate, or frighten the child/youth.

_____ _____ punish a child/youth for mistakes with toilet habits, such as bed wetting, soiling.

_____ _____ withhold basic needs, such as a healthy diet, water, clothing, hygiene facilities, normal sleeping conditions,

proper lighting, educational services, exercise activities, ventilation, proper temperature, mail, family visits,

positive reinforcement, nurturing, or medical care.

_____ _____ assign work that is dangerous or is not in agreement with the child/youth’s case plan.

_____ _____ discipline a child/youth for the unrelated behavior or action of another child/youth.

_____ _____ restrict a child/youth’s communications beyond what is allowed in the child/youth’s case plan.

_____ _____ require a child/youth to assume uncomfortable or fixed positions for an extended length of time or to

march, stand, and/or kneel as punishment.

_____ _____ require a child/youth to punish other children/youth.

_____ _____ use mechanical restraints or confining a child/youth in a locked room

Foster Parent A-Z Guide:

By signing below, I/we acknowledge that I/we have a copy of the current Foster Parent A-Z Guide on the date signed below.

I/we realize that I/we am/are responsible for complying with all the information in the Foster Parent A- Z Guide. I/we

understand that if I/we have any questions about the information in the Foster Parent A-Z Guide that I/we will discuss them

with my Child Foster Care Social Worker.

By signing below, I/we have read and agree to follow this Discipline Policy and each child/youth’s case plan regarding

discipline. I/we will talk with the Child Foster Care social worker if we have any questions about this policy and will update

them with any changes about this policy.

_______________________________ _______________________________ ___________________

Name of Foster Parent (print) Signature of Foster Parent Date

_______________________________ _______________________________ ___________________

Name of Foster Parent (print) Signature of Foster Parent Date

Appendix B, continued

79 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix C

Paper voucher

There are ﬁve steps to

completing the paper voucher:

1. Enter the service dates for which you have

not yet billed. In the “from” column enter

the ﬁrst day of the month that the child was

in your home. For example, if the child was

in your home the entire month of January

2021, enter 1-1-21 in the “from” column.

2. In the “to” column enter the last day of the

month that the child was in your home. That

date would be 1-31-21 for the example given

in Step 1.

3. Add the names, birth dates, and dates of

service for children who entered your home

during the month whose names do not

appear on the voucher.

4. Sign the voucher on the lower left side.

5. Date the voucher on the lower right side

and mail as early as the ﬁrst day of the

month following services.

6. If the voucher is not signed, or if it is dated,

postmarked or submitted prior to the ﬁrst of

the month, it will be returned to you.

80 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

ID:

Month:

00000

PROVIDER NAME

April 2021

PROVIDER-NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

INSTRUCTIONS: Enter service dates for which you have not yet billed. The service end date is the date the child left the

home, or if the child is still in the home, the last day of the month. For example, the child was in the home for the entire

month of April, 2021. Enter 04-01-2021 in service begin date and 04-30-2021 in the service end date. Sign and date the

form at the bottom. Attach an

miscellaneous vouchers pertainin

to this client and mail to the above address.

Service Dates

Client ID Service Description From To Units Rate Total

CHILD'S NAME (123456789)-client ID#

123456789

999999999 Child Family Foster Care 22.65

123456789 999999999 MAPCY 10.75

No Si

nature

Dropped off or postmarked prior to the 1st of the next month

PER MINNESOTA STATUTE 471.391 SUBD.1

I declare under penalties of law that this account, claim, or demand is

ust and that no part has been paid

**** Vouchers will be returned for the followin

reasons:

SIGNATURE OF CLAIMANT: _______________________________________ DATE: ______________

No Service Dates Entered

Northstar Care for Children is a new program that went into effect on January 1, 2015. Northstar is a set of rules that

defines how providers are reimbursed for Foster Care. All children who enter placement on or after January 1, 2015 are

part of Northstar Care. The DOC has been replaced by the MAPCY assessment. For children who entered your home on

or after 1/1/15 you will see a different rate for the R & B, and a MAPCY rate instead of a DOC. If a name appears twice on

your voucher please fill-in both boxes with the full range of dates that the child was in your home. If you have questions,

please contact your License Worker.

Minneapolis, MN 55487-0155

Hennepin Count

HHS Accountin

Government Center

300 S 6th St Ste A1500

4Page No:

04/28/2021

Date:

We have an online invoice system. Contact us to get more information about how to submit electronically.

Our email address is£ [email protected]

DO NOT USE THE DROP BOX AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER TO SUBMIT YOUR VOUCHERS

Appendix D

81 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix E

Online invoicing user guide

Form link:

http://formcatalog.hennepin.us/hhs/human_services/ﬁnancial_analysis_accounting/HSPH_Invoicing/.html

Completing the form

Open the online invoicing tool

from its link. Complete the ﬁelds

in both the ﬁrst and second tabs.

• Information

– Regardless of whether you

are processing a corporate or

private invoice (voucher),

you must ﬁll in all ﬁelds.

• Choose the option:

“Corporate” or “Private.”

82 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix E, continued

• Corporate

– Download the spreadsheet —

this will open in Excel. You will

need to ‘Save As’ to your local

computer before completing.

– Complete the spreadsheet

and include the Total from

the spreadsheet in the space

provided on the web form

(see below).

– Save and attach to the

online invoice page.

– Make sure to include the Total

in the space provided (from

the Total in the spreadsheet).

– Once you have completed

the above information,

proceed to the next tab and

verify/submit your invoice.

83 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix E, continued

• Private

– If completing an invoice as a

“Private” provider, you don’t

need to ﬁll out the additional

spreadsheet. Simply complete

the ﬁelds below. You can add as

many rows and as many people

as you need in this section.

– Once you have completed the

above information, proceed

to the next tab and verify/

submit your invoice.

Click here to

add another row

for the child.

84 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix: E, continued

What happens next?

Once you submit your invoice, email conﬁrmations

will be sent to the email address provided on

the form:

Provider confirmation email — Corporate

From: noreply@hennepin.us <noreply@hennepin.us>

Sent: Monday, October 14, 2019 9:47 AM

Subject: Your Online Invoice has been received

COUNTY will make payment within thirty-ﬁve (35)

days from receipt of the invoice. If the invoice is

incorrect, defective, or otherwise improper, COUNTY

will notify PROVIDER within ten (10) days of receiving

the incorrect invoice. Upon receiving the corrected

invoice from PROVIDER, COUNTY will make payment

within thirty-ﬁve (35) days.

For your reference, your Invoice ID is: HC94901480

You may check the status of your invoice through the

Human Services and Public Health Invoicing tracker.

When checking the status, you may search by the

Invoice ID (please copy from above) or by your

Provider ID number.

Thank you.

Provider confirmation email — Private

From: noreply@hennepin.us <noreply@hennepin.us>

Sent: Monday, October 14, 2019 9:35 AM

Subject: Your Online Invoice has been received

Your voucher has been received by Hennepin County,

we expect to have your payment processed within

10 business days.

For your reference, your Invoice ID is: HC56342459

You may check the status of your invoice through the

Human Services and Public Health Invoicing tracker.

When checking the status, you may search by the

Invoice ID (please copy from above) or by your

Provider ID number.

Thank you.

Provider (corporate or private) email

when status is changed

From: noreply@hennepin.us <noreply@hennepin.us>

Sent: Monday, October 14, 2019 12:41 PM

Subject: Invoice status change

Your invoice has been updated.

Invoice ID: HC39170387

Comments regarding your invoice (if any):

testing comments to provider

You may check the status of your invoice through the

Human Services and Public Health Invoicing tracker.

When checking the status, you may search by the

Invoice ID (please copy from above) or by your

Provider ID number.

Thank you.

85 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Status tracker

Provider can check status of individual invoices or all of their online invoices,

by clicking on the link in the email they received. They can search by invoice

number or provider ID.

Status tracker link:

https://formcatalog.hennepin.us/hhs/human_services/ﬁnancial_analysis_accounting/HSPH_Invoicing_Tracker/.

html

86 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix: F

Child Foster Care Respite provider/substitute

caregiver information form instructions

You may ﬁnd copies of the form at www.hennepin.us/fosterparents

or request a copy from your licensor.

Instructions for the foster parent

requesting respite or substitute care:

• The foster parent with whom the

child resides completes the bulk of

the form to provide information to

the respite or substitute caregiver.

• Complete the form in its entirety and provide

it to the respite provider or substitute

caregiver before care is provided.

• Be sure to share information about food

allergies or sensitivities. If the child has

a very speciﬁc diet, please consider

sending enough of the particular foods

for the time the child is in respite care.

• List any current injuries (bruises,

bumps, etc.) on the form.

• Make sure to describe any speciﬁc hair

or skin products the child uses and, in

some cases, you should send those

products with the child to respite.

• Provide details about the child’s schedule

(school start time, end time, normal nap

times, etc.) and ﬁll in all of the information

about any scheduled appointments or visits.

These include visits with parents/family,

medical/dental appointments and therapy.

• List ﬁrst and last names of persons who the

child can contact, such as birth parents,

grandparents, brothers, sisters, and/or friends.

• It is extremely important that you

describe the behavioral and emotional

needs (e.g. running away, aggression,

food hoarding, etc.) of the child.

• Complete the medical information section

carefully. You must send all medications and

medical equipment with the child to respite

care. Send medication in original containers.

• The foster parent requesting respite

must complete the box on top of

page 3 and sign the form.

Instruction for the respite or

substitutecare provider:

• The person providing respite or substitute care

must complete the box (“Respite Provider/

Substitute Caregiver”) on the bottom of page 3

and sign the form.

• If you are providing the respite care, you must

have the required training and document it in

this section of the form.

– If the child is under age 6 but you have

not completed the SUID/AHT training in

the last ﬁve years, you cannot provide the

respite care.

– If the foster child is under age 8, you must

have completed the car seat training within

ﬁve years in order to provide respite.

– If the foster child uses medical equipment,

you must have the required training.

See Medical equipment

Both the foster parent requesting respite and the

respite provider or substitute caregiver should

keep a copy of the signed form.

87 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Appendix: G

Child foster care respite reimbursement form instructions

You may ﬁnd copies of the form at www.hennepin.us/fosterparents

or request a copy from your licensor.

Instructions for the foster parent

requesting respite care:

• Complete the top section, including your

name(s), the workers’ names, respite dates,

and information about foster children.

• Give the form to the respite provider along

with contact information for your licensor.

Be sure to include a copy of the Child Foster

Care respite provider/substitute caregiver

information as well.

• Your licensor will need to approve ﬁnal payment.

Instructions for the foster parent

requesting substitute care:

• Complete the top section, including your

name(s), the workers’ names, respite dates,

and information about foster children.

• Complete the section title “In Home Respite,”

including the substitute caregiver’s name.

Sign and date.

• Send the form to your licensor who will need

to approve ﬁnal payment.

• The signed Child Foster Care respite provider/

substitute caregiver information form must be

attached to the respite reimbursement form in

order to get reimbursement.

Instructions for respite providers:

• After you provide respite, complete the

“Out of Home Respite” section of the form.

Sign and date.

• The signed form needs to be sent to the

licensor/social worker for the foster parent

who requested the respite. The form should

not go to your licensor but should go to the

licensor of the child(ren)’s foster parent.

• The signed Child Foster Care respite provider/

substitute caregiver information form must

be attached to the respite reimbursement form

in order to get reimbursement.

88 | Hennepin County Foster Parent Guide

Hennepin County

Human Services

300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis 55487

hennepin.us

43-220-25-23