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Families shine at Circus of the Heart adoption celebration

Each November, Circus of the Heart brings together Minnesota families who have grown through adoption and kinship care. The vibrant and joyful gathering, now in it’s 26th year, is a chance for children to play, families to connect, and the community to celebrate the power of permanency.

Four people sit together at a craft table, smiling at the camera. Two adults are seated in the middle, with a teen and a younger child on either side. Craft materials are spread out on the table in front of them.
Families connect during Circus of the Heart, where children and caregivers come together to celebrate adoption, foster care, and kinship care.

This year, Minnesota has much to celebrate. In 2024, 673 children found permanent families through adoption. This achievement reflects the dedication of caregivers, community partners, counties, Tribal Nations, service providers, and the work happening across DCYF. 

Commissioner Tikki Brown shared her appreciation for the families and support systems that make permanency possible.

“Every child who finds a permanent home reflects a community rallying around their future. These 673 adoptions show what’s possible in Minnesota when we put children and families first and support the people who walk with them every step of the way,” Brown said.

Family and Kin Connections

Minnesota continues to move toward a kin-first approach when children are no longer able to safely stay in their home, honoring the essential role that relatives, kin, and community play in children’s lives. In 2024, 55% of children adopted from foster care were adopted by relatives or kin, including: 

  • 14% by an aunt or uncle
  • 14% by a grandparent
  • 17% by another relative
  • 10% by kin
A Minnesota Twins mascot stands with three people, all smiling for the photo. The mascot has an arm around a child wearing a baseball cap and face paint, with two adults standing on either side.
Minnesota families share smiles with the Twins mascot during Circus of the Heart, a celebration of adoption, foster care, and kinship care.

These numbers reinforce what DCYF’s permanency work shows statewide: when children remain connected to their families, cultures, and identities, their long-term well-being improves. For many families, permanency is not only a legal outcome, but also an extension of community, belonging, and stability.

DCYF and its partners believe in a strong focus on supporting relative and kinship permanency. Across Minnesota, concerted efforts — including concurrent planning, culturally responsive services, and collaboration with county and Tribal Nations — are helping reduce delays so children can achieve permanency more quickly.

Whole family approach in action

Three Minnesota Department of Revenue staff sit behind an information table covered with brochures and forms. The tablecloth displays the department’s logo, and event activities are visible through the windows behind them.
Staff from the Minnesota Department of Revenue share information and resources with families at Circus of the Heart.

Circus of the Heart is a great example of DCYF’s whole family approach in action, highlighting the agency’s commitment to ensuring families have access to the supports they need without navigating complex systems on their own. When families arrive at the event, they can connect with services from across Minnesota’s child and family support network, crossing administrative and program boundaries.

This year, the Minnesota Department of Revenue provided information about the Child Tax Credit and the Adoption Tax Credit, helping caregivers understand resources that strengthen long-term stability. This reflects Minnesota’s broader commitment to ensuring permanency is both achievable and built to last.

Twelve resource organizations hosted activities, games, and conversations, including:

Minnesota’s Path Forward

DCYF Assistant Commissioner of Child Safety and Permanency Rebecca St. George reflected on the importance of ongoing partnership. 

“Circus of the Heart shows what becomes possible when partners join together with a shared purpose to uplift, support, and celebrate Minnesota’s foster, kinship, and adoptive families. We are deeply grateful to Foster Adopt Minnesota for bringing this event to life and to every organization that shows up year after year. This same partnership is what we need to support the 470 children who are still waiting. Together we can build the permanency system they deserve,” said St. George.

As Minnesota moves forward, the goal remains clear: every child deserves a safe, stable, loving, and permanent family—and a community committed to helping them thrive. This year’s Circus of the Heart reminds us why this work matters. We celebrate the families who came together, honor the partners who make permanency possible, and renew our commitment to ensuring no child waits alone.

With this year’s joy still fresh, we’re already looking ahead with excitement. Next year’s Circus of the Heart will bring even more stories of connection, celebration, and the families who make Minnesota stronger.

A young boy wearing glasses works on a craft project at a table filled with colorful supplies, surrounded by other children and adults.
Children take part in hands-on crafts during Circus of the Heart, a family event celebrating adoption, foster care, and kinship care.