Foster care is a temporary arrangement for children whose parents are struggling and are unable to take care of them. When possible, human service agencies will work with families to keep kids safe and meet their needs at home; unfortunately, sometimes that is not possible and it is necessary for kids to be placed in foster care.
What is Foster Care?
Foster families provide a home for children whose families are unable to care for them. They are asked to care for the children and treat them as a member of their family.
Foster care is also an opportunity to work with the child’s biological parents to help build the child’s future. Often children continue to visit their families until they can be reunited.
Requirements
- Basic Requirements
- Brown County Foster Care Polices & Procedures
- Brown County Foster Care Licensing Checklist
- Dept. of Human Services Home Safety Checklist
- Fire Marshal Requirements
- Emergency Escape Plan
- Pre-Service Foster Care Training
- Minnesota Adoption and Child Foster Care Application
Can We Afford to Take in a Child?
Kids are expensive to care for. We provide a monthly stipend for foster families, the amount depending on the age and needs of the particular child. We also cover their medical costs. You won’t get rich, but it should more than cover your expenses. Helping a person in need is a challenge – one that could change your life as well as the life of a child.
Thank you for providing such an important service to children in our community! Brown County Staff will continue to support you throughout your foster parenting with ongoing meetings and training information!
Ongoing Training Resources
Ongoing Resources
Concurrent/PreAdoption Foster Care
The goals of concurrent permanency planning are to:
- achieve early permanency for children;
- decrease children’s length of stay in foster care and reduce the number of moves children experiences; and
- identify families who will work towards reunification and serve as permanent resources for children, possibly through adoption.
Foster Parenting Changes Generations: Parenting a child in foster care can change generations. Children and youth can learn from families who are stable, loving, and safe. Foster parents can provide security and safety, that children can grow up and pass on to their own children, and their children will do the same. On Foster Care Video
Adult Foster Care provides a housing option for men and women, ages 18 years of age or older, who are unable to live on their own but would like to live in a family atmosphere. It is an opportunity for an adult who needs support to live as independent as possible. Adult Foster Care provides homes for persons with mental health issues, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, and the elderly.
What Providers Do
- 24-hour care
- A bedroom
- A caring, stable family environment that allows for sharing activities and household responsibilities
- Guidance and help with responsibilities
- Meals
- Supervision, emotional support and protection
Additionally, foster care providers may offer residents help with medication, personal care, doctor’s appointments, or other tasks. Foster homes are typically family-sized homes that care for up to 4 qualifying adults. The home can be operated by a family or an individual. It may also be operated by a corporation or business partner. if you are interested in becoming a licensed adult foster care provider please contact Brown County Human Services.
