Tribes which may exercise jurisdiction over their own children to determine where they should be placed to best meet their needs. Foster parents and other providers who are responsible for protecting, nurturing and caring for children placed with them. Boys represented 56 percent of the children and girls represented 44 percent. With the move to community-based services, some children who previously would have been institutionalized by the mental health system are now in family foster care and smaller group homes. Foster parents provide critical care and nurturing Currently, Minnesota has almost 5,315 licensed family foster homes and 301 emergency relative foster homes.
Foster parents come from all walks of life.
They may be single or married, with or without children, and renters or homeowners. What they share is a concern for children and a commitment to helping them through tough times. Daily, they provide critical care and nurturing to children in crisis. These costs consume a significant portion of county social services budgets and are paid out of local taxes. Some federal dollars also are available to assist with placement costs.