Children & Youth

The following write-ups are produced and maintained by Minnesota House Research Department, with some links provided to other sources.

Children & Families

• Child Care Assistance: An Overview
• Child Care Licensing
  A 5-page brief that explains the types of child care licenses, licensing requirements, roles of government in the licensing process, monitoring and enforcement, exclusions from licensure, and licensing studies. July 2024.
• Child Support: Basic Questions
• Department of Children, Youth, and Families Statute Recodification
  A 89-page publication that shows the new organization of statutes governing the programs, services, and functions of state government that are transferred to the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families, created by the 2023 Legislature. August 2024.
• Early Learning Programs
  A 6-page information brief providing information on early learning programs in Minnesota. November 2018.
• Minnesota's Child Support Laws: An Overview
  A 18-page overview of the state laws setting, modifying, paying, enforcing, and terminating child support. November 2015.
• Minors' Consent for Health Care
• Parent Aware

Protection of Children

• Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
• Reporting Maltreatment of Minors
  A 17-page overview of reporting maltreatment of minors as established in the Maltreatment of Minors Act. The act establishes a system for reporting possible child abuse and neglect, and its related laws and rules. July 2022.
• Sex Offenders and Predatory Offenders: MN Criminal and Civil Regulatory Laws
  A 33-page information brief describing the state's laws applying to sex offenders and predatory offenders including information on crime definitions, criminal penalties, mandatory sentencing, and civil regulations like the community notification law. January 2012.
• Youth and the Law
  A 140-page guidebook explaining state law and court cases that establish rights, responsibilities, and protections for youth, including information on economic protection, education, health and social services, and criminal justice. February 2024.

Archived Materials

The following materials have been archived and may contain some information that is not up-to-date. "Archived" materials are no longer actively maintained by House Research Department and are generally at least five years old. Current materials are provided in the previous topics.

• Access to Government Data Maintained on Juvenile Offenders
  A 4-page information brief that answers questions on information maintained on juvenile offenders by government agencies. September 2004.
• Child Care Assistance
  A 13-page publication that describes the child care assistance programs (MFIP and BSF), including their administration, funding, eligibility requirements, and use. November 2020.
• Child Labor
  Answers basic questions about child labor, like the minimum age for employment and the type of employment minors can have. September 2003.
• Juvenile Justice System
• Parenting Leave
  Describes the what's covered under the state and federal laws mandating employees have job-protected leave when they have a newborn or newly adopted baby. November 2002.