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Child Protection, Foster Care, and Adoption Resources
Fact sheets on child protection
- Child Safety and Permanency: Strengthening families to prevent child abuse and neglect DHS-4735 (PDF)
- Minnesota Citizen Review Panels: Reaching out to protect children DHS-5684 (PDF)
- Safe Place for Newborns law keeps infants safe DHS-6504 (PDF)
- Preventing child maltreatment by promoting health and well-being for Minnesota families DHS-3922 (PDF)
- Parent Support Outreach Program, DHS-3921 (PDF)
Fact sheets on foster care
- Foster care: Temporary out-of-home care for children, DHS-4760 (PDF)
- Concurrent Permanency Planning: Reducing time in foster care, DHS-4926 (PDF)
- Northstar Care for Children: Encouraging safe, permanent homes for children, DHS-6736 (PDF)
Fact sheets on adoption and kinship
- Adoption and Concurrent Permanency Planning: Working together to help families, DHS-4923 (PDF)
- Adoption: Finding families for Minnesota's waiting children, DHS-4746 (PDF)
- Adoption information, support, training and referral for families, DHS-4925 (PDF)
- Northstar Care for Children: Encouraging safe, permanent homes for children, DHS-6736 (PDF)
Minnesota Child Maltreatment Intake, Screening and Response Path Guidelines DHS-5144 (PDF)
The purpose of the Minnesota Child Maltreatment Intake, Screening and Response Path Guidelines is to provide direction to local social service agencies, promote statewide consistency in definition and practice, and to inform the general public about types of child safety concerns that should be reported.
Minnesota's Best Practices for Facility Investigation DHS-7593 (PDF)
The purpose of the Best Practices for Facility Investigation guide is to provide direction as to protocols mandated by state statute and recommended as best practice for local child welfare agencies, and to promote statewide standards for child protection practice related to facility investigations.
Minnesota's Best Practice Guide for Responding to Prenatal Exposure to Substance Use DHS-7605 (PDF)
The purpose of Minnesota’s Best Practice Guide for Responding to Prenatal Exposure to Substance Use is to provide direction, policy, protocols, and statewide consistency for local child welfare agency staff.
Minnesota's Best Practice Response to the Co-occurrence of Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence DHS-3490 (PDF)
Minnesota’s Best Practice Response to the Co-occurrence of Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence guidelines have been developed for local and tribal social service agencies responsible for child protection assessment, investigation and case management. These guidelines are a resource supported and enlivened by reflective supervision, ongoing training, service resources, and funding on behalf of families who are experiencing the co-occurrence of child maltreatment and domestic violence.
Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: A Resource Guide for Mandated Reporters DHS-2917 (PDF)
This guide is designed to help you better understand the mandated reporter statute and to outline appropriate actions to take if you know or suspect a child is being abused or neglected.
Family Engagement Strategies in Voluntary Child Welfare Services DHS-5881C (PDF)
This practice guide is intended to provide social workers involved with voluntary child welfare programs with strategies for engaging families during an initial outreach contact, as well as provide suggestions to help workers maintain family engagement and partnership after a family has agreed to accept services.
Minnesota's Best Practices in Family Assessment and Family Investigation DHS-7059 (PDF)
The purpose of the Best Practices for Family Assessment and Family Investigation guide is to provide direction as to protocols mandated by state statute and recommended as best practice for local child welfare agencies, to promote statewide standards for child protection practice related to assessment and investigation.
Minnesota’s Best Practice Response to Trafficking and Exploitation of Children and Youth A guide for county and tribal child welfare agencies DHS-7641Z (PDF)
This practice guide is for the child welfare system response to trafficking and exploitation of all children ages 17 and younger, and also includes discussion of response for youth ages 18 through 24 transitioning into adulthood.
Minnesota’s Best Practice Guide for In-Home Child Protection Case Management DHS-8280 (PDF)
The purpose of this best practice guide is to provide an overview of policy and guidance for in-home child protection case management. This includes protocols guided by Minnesota Statutes 260E and Minnesota Administrative Rules 9560.0228 and recommended best practice for local child welfare agencies. In addition, this guide serves to promote consistency statewide for child protection practice related to in-home child protection case management services
Maltreatment reports provides information on children who are removed from their homes and placed in the care of social service agencies. These reports highlight efforts to ensure and promote children's safety, permanency and well-being.
- Minnesota's Child Maltreatment Report 2023 DHS-5408P (PDF)
- Minnesota's Child Maltreatment Report 2022 DHS-5408O (PDF)
- Minnesota's Child Maltreatment Report 2021 DHS-5408N (PDF)
- Minnesota's Child Maltreatment Report 2020 DHS-5408M (PDF)
- Minnesota's Child Maltreatment Report 2019, DHS-5408L (PDF)
- Minnesota's Child Maltreatment Report 2018, DHS-5408K (PDF)
This annual report provides information on children placed in out-of-home care, primarily family foster homes, in Minnesota. It highlights work happening across the state to ensure and promote children's safety, permanency and well-being.
- Minnesota's Out-of-home Care and Permanency Report 2023, DHS-5408Pa (PDF)
- Minnesota's Out-of-home Care and Permanency Report 2022, DHS-5408Oa (PDF)
- Minnesota's Out-of-home Care and Permanency Report 2021, DHS-5408Na (PDF)
- Minnesota's Out-of-home Care and Permanency Report 2020, DHS-5408Ma (PDF)
- Minnesota's Out-of-home Care and Permanency Report 2019, DHS-5408La (PDF)
- Minnesota's Out-of-home Care and Permanency Report 2018, DHS-5408Ka (PDF)
- Minnesota Child and Family Services Plan 2025-2029 (PDF)
- Minnesota Final Report on Child and Family Services Plan 2020-2024 (PDF)
- Minnesota Child and Family Services Plan 2020-2024 DHS-4465C-ENG (PDF) describes plans for improving outcomes for children and families in the child welfare system.
- Minnesota Annual Progress and Services Report (MN APRS) FY 2024 (PDF)
- Minnesota Annual Progress and Services Report (MN APRS) FY 2023 (PDF)
- Minnesota Annual Progress and Services Report (MN APRS) FY 2022 (PDF)
- Minnesota Annual Progress and Services Report (MN APRS) FY 2021 (PDF)
- Minnesota Annual Progress and Services Report (MN APRS) FY 2020(PDF)
Minnesota Citizen Review Panels involve community members in ensuring that the child protection system works well and protects children from abuse and neglect. Minnesota has panels in Chisago, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington and Winona counties.
Minnesota's Children's Justice Initiative The Children's Justice Initiative is a collaboration between the Minnesota Judicial Branch and the Minnesota Department of Human Services, working closely with juvenile courts and court officials, social services agencies, tribes, guardians ad litem and other key stakeholders statewide. The purpose is to improve the processing of child protection cases and the outcomes for abused and neglected children. The overall objective is to timely find safe, stable, permanent homes for abused and neglected children. This would first be through reunification with the child's parents if that is safe or, if not, through another permanent placement option.
Child Welfare Data Dashboard This is intended to provide information to the public as well as county and tribal decision-makers on 12 key measures used to monitor the status of children served by Minnesota's child welfare system.
Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force The group provides a multidisciplinary approach to ending human trafficking and other forms of sexual exploitation in Minnesota. Members represent governmental and non-governmental agencies.