May is National Foster Care Month, a time to honor and recognize the experiences of children, youth, and families involved with foster care. This year’s theme, Centered on Family, Strengthened by Connections, reminds us that building strong family and community ties is essential to helping young people heal, grow, and thrive.

Across Minnesota, meaningful efforts are underway to better support children and families involved in child welfare. Recent legislative and program updates highlight how Minnesota is centering family engagement, relational permanency, and youth empowerment.

Foster Care Month Themes and Guidance

Check out some of the following policy guides and resources that offer valuable tools for child welfare professionals, foster parents, and caregivers committed to ensuring that every child maintains meaningful family and cultural connections.

This factsheet offers guidance for kinship caregivers, such as relatives or close family friends caring for children on how to effectively navigate the child welfare system. It outlines the types of kinship care (informal and formal), the role of child welfare agencies, and the services available to support caregivers and children. The resource emphasizes the importance of maintaining family connections and provides links to additional support materials.

This publication discusses the legal requirements for child welfare agencies to make "reasonable efforts" to prevent the removal of children from their homes or to reunify families after placement. It details the circumstances under which these efforts are mandated, exceptions to the requirement, and the types of services that may be provided to support family preservation and reunification.

This factsheet shares experiences and advice from caregivers and birth parents involved in kinship care, highlighting the importance of collaboration in supporting reunification efforts. It addresses managing family dynamics, building trust, and the role of caseworkers and support services in facilitating successful reunification.

This resource focuses on the concept of relational permanency, which refers to enduring, positive relationships that provide a sense of belonging and support for children and youth in out-of-home care. It underscores the significance of these connections in promoting mental health, resilience, and successful transitions to adulthood. The publication offers strategies for child welfare professionals to help youth establish and maintain these critical relationships.

New Resources for Supporting Youth

This spring, the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) released exciting updates focused on supporting and empowering foster youth.

These initiatives reflect the broader commitment to relational permanency, family-centered support, and authentic youth voice in decision-making.

Legislative Updates Impacting Foster Care

As the Minnesota legislative session approaches its scheduled conclusion, several bills related to child welfare are advancing through the legislative process. It is important to note that while these bills are moving forward in the legislative process, they have not yet been enacted into law. Final decisions, including votes and potential amendments, are still pending. Once any legislation is officially signed into law, updates and guidance will be provided on new rules and roll out of implementation. Until then, the provisions within these bills remain proposals and are subject to change, but here’s what our partners are watching.​

  • Children and Family Finances Omnibus Bill (HF2436/SF2705)
    Includes key funding and policy changes, such as kinship caregiving updates, mandatory reporter training, and investments in technology upgrades for social services
  • Definition Changes for Children in Need of Protection (HF1614)
    Aims to protect families by clarifying that a lack of services should not be equated to parental neglect
  • Northstar Care for Children Reimbursement Rates (HF1276/SF1548)
    Seeks to equalize reimbursement rates across all ages, helping support kinship and adoptive families
  • Fiscal Analysis and Social Security Benefits for Foster Youth (HF2135/SF1898, SF1025)
    Moves are underway to improve financial transparency in the child welfare system and to create trusts for foster youth’s federal benefits

You can follow these developments through the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) Bill Tracker or by subscribing to the CASCW at the Capitol Child Welfare Policy Updates.

Stay Connected

To learn more about Minnesota’s efforts to support youth and families or to access training opportunities including visit the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy website.

The Next Cohort of Assessing Foster and Adoptive Parents still has available seats for the training on June 3-4! Learn more and register in the Training Catalog.

Together, we can uplift the voices of youth, strengthen families, and create lasting, positive change across Minnesota’s child welfare system.