How To Become Licensed

Below is a general outline of child foster care licensing procedures.
  1. Contact Michelle Lechner at (507) 304-4273 expressing your interest and questions about becoming a Blue Earth County foster parent.
  2. If interest continues, the prospective applicant will arrange attendance at an informational meeting. Orientation workshops will be conducted every six to eight weeks, which is required prior to licensing.  See schedule details below. 
  3. If, after the orientation workshop, the family is still interested, an initial interview with a licensor is made. The applicant will be given a foster care packet, which will include the foster family licensing rule, applicant background study forms for all persons 13 years of age or older in the household, personal questionnaire, application, home safety checklist, three personal references, and other materials pertaining to the program.
  4. Required before you become licensed includes:
    1. 6 hours of orientation
    2. 3 hours of Children’s Mental Health training
    3. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Abusive Head Trauma training
    4. Car Seat Safety training
  5. When the application and applicant background studies have been filled out, signed, and returned to the agency, an appointment will be made for a home-site inspection. A visit from the state fire inspector may be required.
  6. When the previous listed requirements have been met, the licensor will do a home study. This will include several interviews with prospective foster parents and their children. The contents of the home study will include family relationships, family activities, discipline techniques, communication skills, expectations of foster care, and ages and types of foster children desired.
  7. The agency licensing process may take up to three months.
  8. When the application is completed, the agency shall forward its licensing recommendations to the Department of Human Services within 20 working days.
Required Pre-Service Trainings for Unrelated Child Foster Care Providers - 2023

In-Person Pre-Service Group Trainings
In-Person group trainings are held at the Blue Earth County Government Center, 410 S. Fifth Street, Mankato, Minnesota.  Park in front of building.  Enter door A.  Turn right to find conference room.  Class size will be limited to allow for social distancing.  Plan to wear a mask.

Orientation to Foster Care - Training Dates
Classes are held on the following dates from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  
January 17, 2023
March 14, 2023
May 16, 2023
July 11, 2023
September 12, 2023
November 14, 2023

Register with Sarah Johnson at (507) 304-4167. 

Child and Restraint Systems (C.A.R.S.) Training - Training Dates

In-person training at the same location as listed above.

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
January 11, 2023
April 5, 2023
July 12, 2023
October 4, 2023

Register with Michelle Lechner at (507) 304-4273. 

​Online Pre-Service Trainings

Link to trainings at https://www.blueearthcountymn.gov/910/Training-Resources

​Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Abusive Head Trauma

If you want to care for children ages 6 or under, you must take this training online.  You will be linked to another website where you will be able to print a certificate off this site when you are done with the training.  Watch all 6 YouTube videos.  Click on Training Verification.  Print document.

​Minnesota Department of Human Services Children's Mental Health

All applicants must view this training.  Click on self-test and print it off before viewing the training so that you can refer to the questions while you train.  Submit the self-test signed and dated for documentation. 

​Normalcy and Prudent Parenting Standard

All applicants must view this training.  You can print a certificate from this site.  Please sign and date it for documentation.