Adoption/ Guardianship Unit

The goal of the Adoption/Guardianship program is to ensure that all Chippewa County children whose parents’ rights were terminated are placed in a permanent adoptive home in a timely manner.

About

Chippewa County provides adoption services for families, or individuals, wanting to adopt children who are currently in the foster care system. The goal of the Adoption / Guardianship program is to ensure that all Chippewa County children whose parents’ rights were terminated are placed in a permanent adoptive home in a timely manner.

Program Process

The adoption program is based on the practice of Concurrent Planning for children in foster care. Concurrent Planning consists of having two plans for a child when he/she enters the foster care system:

o    The first plan is reunification with birth parents.

o    The second plan is a permanent home that includes adoption or a transfer of legal custody.

Interested Adoption Parents

We ask families who are interested in adoption to become foster care providers and work with the agency as a resource family. For children who are not placed with a resource family and are in need of an adoptive home, we work with agencies through the Public/Private Initiative.

Ongoing Case Management

All children placed for adoption receive ongoing case management until finalization. Services are coordinated to ensure children’s needs are met and families are prepared for adoption. We work with the Department of Human Services to ensure children and families are aware of and are receiving all services available to them including the State Adoption Assistance program, Northstar Care for Children.

Community Partners

The Public/Private Initiative is a collaboration between the Minnesota Department of Human Services, County social service agencies, and private adoption agencies committed to identifying adoptive families for children under state guardianship. Recruitment tools such as the Minnesota’s Waiting Children’s Book, Thursday's Child, and child specific recruitment efforts are used to locate possible adoptive homes for state wards. 

Post-Adoption Services

Chippewa County also offers post-adoption services to adults who have been placed through Chippewa County Health and Human Services or birth parents who have made adoption plans through the department. Post-adoption services include searching for birth family members and sharing information about the adoption.