Foster Care

Foster Care for Children

Unfortunately, some situations of neglect or abuse call for the child or children to be removed from the home. The county agency will then work to find that child a temporary home with a foster family, and in some cases, a permanent home with an adopted family.

Becoming a Foster Parent

Foster parenting is a commitment to help guide a child and family through an especially difficult period by providing consideration, understanding, and guidance to the child.

Foster parents may refuse a particular placement if they feel the placement is inappropriate for them or for meeting the specific needs of the child.

Foster parents do receive some financial support. The support includes monthly reimbursement to cover basic room and board, clothing expense, and coverage for medical and dental expenses. Foster parents are not paid for the service they provide.

Foster parents may be able to adopt a child in care however; the goal of foster care is to return the child or youth to his or her family as soon as possible. Any consideration of adoption is after all comprehensive efforts at returning the child home or to relatives has been exhausted. Specific policies regarding foster parents as an adoptive resource are available from your child placement agency.

For more information about becoming a foster parent call Nobles County Community Service at 507-295-5213.

About

The State of Minnesota requires child foster care applicants and providers to complete training for initial licensing and annual training.

Initial required training would be 6 hours of orientation, 2 hours of mental health training and Basic Education for Safe Travel (B.E.S.T.). If applicable, Sudden Unexpected Infant Death/ Abusive Head Trauma (SUIS/AHT) for children 5 years and younger, and Normalcy/Prudent/Reasonable/Parenting training.

Each license holder needs to complete 12 hours of annual training of which; 1 hour needs to be on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and 1 hour needs to be on children’s mental health. B.E.S.T training needs to be completed every 5 year.