Licensing Requirements

Information Meeting

Benton County hosts information meetings for persons interested in becoming licensed foster care providers. These meetings are typically held every other month, at the Benton County Human Services building. Please call Shawn at 320-968-5101 to get next meeting dates. Application packets will be given out to those interested after the meeting.

During this meeting you will be given an overview of the child foster care rules, the licensing process, an explanation of how children enter the foster care system and the opportunity to ask questions.

Home Study

The applicant must cooperate with a home study conducted by Benton County. At a minimum, there must be one in-home interview and documented interviews with all household members over seven years of age. Home study forms are located in the application packet. Fillable home study forms are also available on our website under Forms and Resources for Foster Care Providers.

During the home study the applicant must demonstrate the ability to:

  • Accept the foster child’s relationship with the child’s family and relatives and to support visitation and family reunification efforts
  • Actively support the foster child’s racial or ethnic background, culture, and religion, and respect the child’s sexual orientation
  • Deal with anger, sorrow, frustration, conflict, and other emotions in a manner that will build positive interpersonal relationships
  • Have a current network of support that may include extended family, neighbors, cultural and community ties that the applicant can use to strengthen and applicant’s abilities, and for support and help
  • Meet the foster child’s special needs, if any, including medical needs, disabilities, or emotional disturbances
  • Nurture children, be mature and demonstrate an ability to comply with the foster child’s care plan and meet the needs of the foster children in the applicant’s care.
  • Provide consistent supervision, positive and constructive discipline, and care and training to contribute to the foster child’s well being
  • Share responsibility for the foster child’s well-being with the foster child’s social worker, school, and legal parents
  • Understand Benton County’s programs and goals
  • Work within Benton County and State of Minnesota policies