If you have been reading along and thinking, “okay, I think I actually want to do this,” this post is for you.
A lot of people get stuck at the “what happens next” part. The licensing process can feel like a big unknown, and when something feels complicated, it is easy to keep putting it off. So I want to walk you through exactly what the process looks like at North Homes, step by step, so you know what to expect from the very first phone call to the day you receive your license.
The six steps, in order: reach out for a first conversation, complete your application, finish background studies for everyone in the household age 13 and older, complete required training, host a home study, and receive your licensing recommendation and state approval. From a completed application, most families finish in three to four months.
The process is straightforward. It takes some time and some effort on your part. And we are with you through every step of it.
First, a Word About Choosing an Agency
In Minnesota, you can become licensed through a county or through a private agency like North Homes Children and Family Services. Either path leads to the same foster care license issued by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). What differs is who walks you through it and supports you along the way.
North Homes assigns you two different people on purpose. Your licensor guides you through licensing. Your case manager supports you and any children placed in your home. Splitting those roles means neither person is stretched across work that pulls in opposite directions, and you always know who to call. Our on-call line is staffed 24 hours a day.
Step 1: Reach Out
It starts with a conversation. Call us at (218) 751-0282 or email info@northhomes.org and ask to speak with a foster care and adoption licensor. There is no commitment involved in that first call. It is just a chance to ask questions, share a little about yourself, and get a feel for whether North Homes is the right fit for your family.
We work with all kinds of families across Minnesota, and we mean that. Single people, couples, renters, empty nesters, LGBTQ+ families, families with kids already at home. If you have a question about whether your specific situation is a fit, just ask. That is what the first call is for. If you are still deciding whether foster care is right for your family, that post is a good place to start.
Step 2: Complete Your Application
Once you decide to move forward, your licensor will walk you through the application materials. Minnesota uses one application for both foster care licensing and adoption. You will also complete an individual fact sheet for each adult in the household.
Completing your paperwork thoroughly and returning it promptly makes a real difference in how quickly the process moves. Your licensor will let you know exactly what is needed and answer any questions along the way.
Step 3: Background Studies
Minnesota law requires a background study for every applicant and household member age 13 and older. Your licensor will provide you with instructions for initiating the study. The background study looks at criminal history and any child maltreatment findings, and the results are reviewed as part of your overall licensing assessment.
If anything comes up on a background study, that does not automatically end the process. As we covered in our post on what disqualifies you from being a foster parent, many findings are reviewed case by case. Your licensor will have an honest conversation with you about anything that comes up and help you understand where things stand.
Step 4: Training
Before you are licensed, you will complete required training that covers topics like trauma-informed care, child development, behavior support, cultural responsiveness, and how to support a child’s family connections. This training is not a box to check. It is useful preparation for what you will encounter as a foster parent.
Once you are licensed, the training continues. Minnesota requires foster parents to complete training hours each year to maintain a license. North Homes supports you in meeting that requirement and staying current on best practices.
Step 5: The Home Study
Your licensor will schedule visits to your home to complete a home study assessment. This is a thorough look at your household, your history, your relationships, your strengths, and how you plan to parent a foster child. It is also a conversation, not an interrogation. The goal is to understand who you are and what you have to offer, and to make sure any child placed with you will be safe and well cared for.
Depending on your home’s characteristics, a State Fire Marshal inspection may also be required. This applies if your home will care for four or more foster children, has sleeping space in a basement, is a mobile home, or has a freestanding solid-fuel heating appliance like a wood or corn stove. North Homes will help you schedule that inspection if it is needed, and any safety items identified will need to be addressed before a placement can occur.
You will also provide three items: a minimum of three personal references, a health statement and physician’s report confirming you are physically able to care for children, and a signed statement from all adult household members confirming at least two years free from chemical use problems.
Step 6: Licensing Recommendation and Approval
Once all the pieces are in place, your North Homes licensor submits a recommendation to DCYF, which reviews everything and issues your foster care license. That license is what officially allows you to have a child placed in your home.
How Long Does This Take?
About three to four months from the time North Homes receives your completed application. That timeline can move faster or slower depending on how quickly references are returned, how soon background studies are completed, whether a fire marshal inspection is needed, and how promptly paperwork comes back from your end.
The single biggest thing you can do to keep things moving is to stay responsive. When your licensor reaches out or asks for something, getting it back quickly keeps the process on track. We do our part, and it helps a lot when families do theirs.
What Happens After You Are Licensed?
Getting licensed is the beginning, not the finish line. Once you are approved, your case manager at North Homes becomes an important part of your support system. You will work together to identify the types of children you are best equipped to care for, and placements are made with that in mind.
Some families receive a placement quickly. Others wait longer depending on the needs they are licensed for and what children are in the system at a given time. Your case manager stays in touch throughout, and our on-call line is always available when something comes up unexpectedly.
If adoption is something you are hoping for down the road, North Homes also participates in the Minnesota Waiting Children’s Program, administered through the State Adoption Exchange, which connects families with children who are legally available for adoption through Minnesota’s foster care system. Participation requires a foster care license, which is exactly what you will have.
Ready to Get Started?
The first step is just a phone call or an email. We are happy to answer questions, talk through your situation, and help you figure out whether this is the right path for your family.
Call us at (218) 751-0282 or reach out at info@northhomes.org. We would love to hear from you.
