About Our Foster Care Programs

Traditional Foster Care

EVOLVE’s Traditional Foster Care Program provides families the support, resources, training and guidance needed to become licensed foster care providers, with the goal of supporting children in the foster care system until reunification can occur.

Benefits of EVOLVE’s Traditional Foster Care Program
-Staff within the program have small caseloads, which allows for the time and attention your family deserves throughout the licensing process and beyond.
-Support and provide care to children in the foster care system, as their birth families work on various goals to achieve reunification with their children.
-EVOLVE offers a variety of programs within the traditional program. Families have the option to provide respite, emergency shelter care, in addition to traditional foster care.

General Foster Care Provider Requirements
-Reside in the state of Minnesota
-Be 21 years or older
-Complete the full MN DHS Foster Care application
-Pass a criminal background check for all household members over age 13
-Complete a full Foster Care Home Study Assessment

Characteristics needed to be a good foster parent include: 
-Stability 
-Strong support system, surrounded by others that understand trauma, the needs of children in care, and the value of difference and uniqueness of each child. 
-Flexibility 
-Strong ability to advocate for the children in care 
-Strong communication skills
-Teamwork 
-Willingness to learn and seek out opportunities that enhance understanding related to children in care 
-Understanding of your own capacity and limits
-Access to supports and/or being willing to ask for help when needed
-Ability to honor and support the cultural needs of children in foster care (race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, family history)

Adoption Through Foster Care

EVOLVE’s MN Adoption through Foster Care Program provides families the support, resources, training, and guidance needed to become licensed foster care providers, with the goal of adoption of a child or children through the Foster Care System.

Benefits of EVOLVE’s MN Adoption through Foster Care Program:
-There is no waitlist. Families will begin the licensing process immediately.
-Staff within the program have small caseloads, which allows for the time and attention your family deserves
-In becoming a licensed foster care provider within EVOLVE’s MN
-Adoption through Foster Care Program, your family will be supporting and providing permanency to waiting youth in the foster care system.

As of October 2021 in Minnesota, there are 1,473 children who are waiting to be adopted. Of those children, 641 children are in need of adoptive families immediately.

Grow your family through foster care.

To begin the process and to learn more about our program, the first step is calling EVOLVE Family Services at 651-439-2446 or visiting our website at https://evolveservices.org/info-meetings/.