What’s new for: Children

Training session on effects of trauma on children is June 1

MN ADOPT, in conjunction with the Minnesota Adoption Resource Network, is hosting a one-day training session examining the effects of trauma on children. "Beyond Consequences: Helping Families Heal," will be held Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Radisson Blu Hotel, 2100 Killebrew Drive, Bloomington. The Minnesota Adoption Resource Network is under contract with DHS to provide supports to adoptive families. More information is in a story about training.

Child Care and Development Fund plan comments sought

DHS seeks public comments on the proposed 2014-15 federal Child Care and Development Fund plan. Information on how to submit comments is online.

DHS participates in Financial Literacy Month activities

During April, Financial Literacy Month, DHS is joining with 10 state agencies in activities to increase financial literacy. The effort includes more than 40 activities and is aimed at empowering students, soldiers, families and senior citizens to learn more about their finances. More information about Financial Literacy month is online.

Foster Care Month events planned to celebrate families

To celebrate foster families, DHS and five counties — Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey and Scott —are working with professional sports teams to host two special events. On May 18, foster families will attend the Fourth Annual Celebrate Foster Families at the Minnesota United vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer match at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. Families will participate in a soccer clinic for all youth with Tony Sanneh, former professional player, and a professional soccer match and family fun activities. More information about Foster Care Month and a video are online.

Conference to focus on impact of trauma on children

MN Adopt, in conjunction with the Minnesota Adoption Resource Network, is hosting "Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma," a two-day conference for adoptive, foster and kinship families and professionals, May 17 and 18 at the Marriott Minneapolis West in St. Louis Park. The Minnesota Adoption Resource Network is under contract with DHS to provide supports and services to adoptive families. More information about the conference is online.

DHS funds effort to support involvement of both parents

DHS recently awarded the Co-Parent Court of Hennepin County a one-time grant of more than $260,000. Co-Parent Court provides free parenting help for unwed parents participating in the program and offers services including paternity establishment, education classes on wellness and health, and support from outside organizations that work in tandem with the Co-Parent Court community. The Minnesota Family Investment Program Innovations Fund grant is supporting co-parent staff and services work beginning June 1 through Dec. 31, 2013. More information can be found on the Co-Parent Court website.

Federal official learns about hunger in Minnesota

Kevin Concannon, U.S. undersecretary of Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, recently spent two days touring Minnesota food shelves and discussing hunger in Minnesota with community members, including a DHS representative. Concannon began his tour March 25 at the University of Minnesota with a roundtable discussion on improving access to nutritious food and encouraging healthier food choices through Minnesota’s various assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). More information is in a story about the tour.

Infant deaths in child care down, more work needed

Action taken by DHS, providers, and local partners to address a dramatic increase in the deaths of infants in child care has helped to stall the alarming trend, according to the 2012 annual report on licensing activities by the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) (PDF). Infant deaths occurring in child care settings was one of four “emergent issues” identified in the report released April 3. More information is in a news release about the report.

Northstar Care for Children proposal to help move children to permanent homes

Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson recently announced Gov. Mark Dayton’s budget proposal of $2.57 million for Northstar Care for Children, a single benefit program that supports children’s permanency through adoption or legal guardianship by a relative. The budget proposal would go into effect Jan. 1, 2015, and “provide financial support to meet hundreds of children’s needs and enable them to grow up in permanent families.” More information is in the Northstar Care for Children fact sheet (PDF) and in a news release online.

Recommendations inform child safety legislative proposals

Proposals to change child care licensing (PDF) to prevent deaths in child care settings are being considered by legislators this session. The governor's proposals are aimed at improving safe sleep practices, improving and subsidizing training for providers, and improving the quality and consistency of licensing oversight. The proposals came in part from a report, Review of Child Deaths in Minnesota Licensed Family Child Care Homes (PDF), which noted an increase in deaths in licensed family child care homes since 2006. Feedback on recommendations to improve child safety was provided by child care providers, parents and others in meetings held in November and December 2012 and is summarized in an online report, Themes from Stakeholders about Recommendations in Child Deaths in Licensed Family Child Care Homes (PDF).

Safe Place for Newborns law expanded

In response to tragedies involving abandoned infants over the last several years, the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the state legislature recognized the need to strengthen Minnesota’s Safe Place for Newborns law. The amended law allows a mother, or someone acting with her permission, to safely surrender her unharmed infant born within the past seven days to a designated safe place. A safe place includes a hospital, an urgent care facility during its hours of operation, or an ambulance that is dispatched in response to a 911 call. Previously, the law allowed for the safe surrender of infants born within 72 hours, and designated safe places were hospitals only. More information about Safe Place for Newborns is available in on a fact sheet (PDF) and a printable flier (PDF).

Guide aids child welfare professionals working with LGBTQ youth

A practice guide issued by DHS aims to help child welfare workers effectively support LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system. Working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning/queer youth (PDF) covers a variety of topics and offers several approaches to strengthen and affirm the approximately 5 percent to 10 percent of foster care youth nationally who identify as LGBTQ. Included in the publication are statistics for the LGBTQ foster care population as well as guidance on preserving family relationships and preventing out-of-home placements, engaging and building relationships with LGBTQ youth, and ensuring safety in placements and in residential care, along with special considerations for working with transgender youth and an index of LGBTQ terms and resources.

Report highlights signs of progress for children

Parents, educators and community members have a resource at their disposal when looking for information about their school-age children: the School-age Indicators of Progress: Minnesota’s Learning Guidelines for Ages 5 to 12 (PDF). Information in the report guides those working with children in this age range to create positive, enriching environments as children undergo fundamental social and developmental changes in their lives. More information is in a story about the report.

Consider becoming a foster or adoptive parent

Foster and adoptive parents make a difference in children’s lives. Minnesotans interested in becoming foster parents should contact their county or tribal social service agency. More information about the steps for becoming a foster parent is available on the department’s website. For more information about becoming an adoptive parent, contact your county social services agency or the North American Council on Adoptable Children at 651-523-0963 or toll-free at 866-665-4378. More information about adoption of children under state guardianship is also available on the department’s website.

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