Children's Home Society & Family Services

What Children's Home Society & Family Services does

Children's Home & LSS, LLC (CHLSS), operating as Children's Home, is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and subsidiary of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, formed through the May 1, 2026 merger of Children's Home Society of Minnesota (founded 1889) and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota's adoption and foster care operations (tracing to 1865). The organization provides comprehensive adoption, foster care, pregnancy counseling, and post-adoption services across the full lifecycle, serving expectant parents, adoptive and foster families, adult adoptees, and birth families primarily in Minnesota, with international adoption programs in Colombia, Ecuador, India, South Korea, and Bulgaria.

CHLSS operates three core service lines: (1) adoption programs including domestic infant adoption, foster care adoption, and international adoption; (2) foster care and relative/kinship services including licensing, placement, and wraparound support; and (3) post-adoption services spanning search and reunion, documentation and citizenship support, international adoptee travel, and ongoing support groups. The organization is distinguished as the first U.S. agency to offer continuing post-adoption services (established 1963) and holds Hague, COA, and NCFA accreditations alongside Minnesota DCYF licensure.

The business model combines government contract revenue (primarily through the Public Private Permanency Collaboration with Minnesota DCYF), individual service fees on a unit-pricing basis ($50-$1,500 per service), and charitable donations (501(c)(3) tax-deductible). Many core services are provided free or low-cost through DCYF contracts and the Adoption Support Fund, which granted over $175,000 in the prior year. Customer acquisition is community-led through county/tribal referrals, educational events, webinars, Pride festivals, and word-of-mouth, with go-to-market channels including direct in-person service delivery throughout Minnesota, 24/7 phone/text pregnancy counseling, and online/hybrid education classes. In 2025, CHLSS served 6,933 individuals and operates with 251-500 employees from its Saint Paul headquarters.

Name

Children's Home Society & Family Services

Legal name

Children's Home & LSS, LLC

Website

https://chlss.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Children's Home & LSS, LLC is a Minnesota-based nonprofit subsidiary of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota providing comprehensive adoption, foster care, pregnancy counseling, and post-adoption services. Founded through a 2026 merger of two 160+ year legacy organizations, it served 6,933 individuals in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adoption and Foster Care Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Respite Care for Families of Children with Disabilities (HSAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Adoption services
• Foster care services
• Pregnancy counseling
• Post-adoption support
• Child welfare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Service Fees: CHLSS charges fees for various adoption and post-adoption services including home studies, placement supervision, document requests, search and reunion services, openness consultation, and international travel support. Many foster care adoption costs are covered through a contract with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), making the process virtually free for eligible families.
2. Donations and Charitable Gifts: The organization accepts financial gifts through online donations, mail, phone, stock transfers, employer matching, planned giving, memorial/tribute gifts, and in-kind donations. Children's Home & LSS, LLC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 41-0872993). Gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
3. Government Contracts: CHLSS operates under contracts with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and the Department of Human Services, covering foster care adoption, child-specific recruitment, family finding search, relative/kinship services, and some post-adoption services at no cost to referring counties or tribal services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CHLSS is a Minnesota-based nonprofit providing comprehensive adoption and foster care services across the full lifecycle: pregnancy counseling, domestic infant adoption, foster care licensing and adoption, international adoption (Colombia, Ecuador, India, South Korea, Bulgaria), relative/kinship services, and lifelong post-adoption support including search and reunion, documentation, citizenship, international adoptee travel, and support groups. Services are delivered in-person, online, and via 24/7 phone/text, largely free of charge for families eligible under Minnesota DCYF contracts.

Product overview

Children's Home & LSS is a merged nonprofit organization (subsidiary of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota) providing a comprehensive suite of adoption and foster care services. Core offerings include domestic infant adoption (open adoption program), foster care adoption, and international adoption across five countries (Bulgaria, Colombia, Ecuador, India, South Korea). The organization provides pregnancy counseling services, relative/kinship services, and county-contracted services. Post-adoption services encompass search and reunion support, documentation and citizenship assistance, international adoptee travel, and various support groups. Education classes for foster and adoptive families are available in multiple formats. The organization served 6,933 individuals in 2025 and maintains over 160 years of combined organizational history.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Domestic Infant Adoption Program Open adoption program in which expectant parents choose an adoptive family for their child, providing home study, training, outreach, placement, and post-adoption support for families in Minnesota.
• Foster Care Adoption Program Adoption program serving children under Minnesota state guardianship or tribal jurisdiction, with costs largely covered through a contract with the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF).
• International Adoption Services Hague-compliant international adoption services in Bulgaria, Colombia, Ecuador, India, and South Korea including home study, in-country coordination, travel resources, and ongoing support.
• Pregnancy Counseling Services Free, confidential, non-directive counseling available 24/7 via phone or text for expectant parents exploring parenting, open adoption, or birth father services.
• Foster Care Services Licensed foster care services throughout Minnesota, including traditional foster care, emergency shelter care, respite care, and host homes.
• Relative/Kinship Services Wraparound services for relative and kin caregivers including application support, home study, foster care licensure, and support to keep children connected to family and community.
• Search, Reunion & Openness Services Services helping adoptees, birth families, and adoptive families search for information, facilitate reunion, and navigate openness agreements.
• Documentation, Reports & Citizenship Services Services for obtaining adoption records, birth certificates, non-identifying social medical histories, and citizenship documentation for domestic and international adoptions.
• International Adoptee Travel Travel support services for adult international adoptees including Colombia orphanage visits, Ethiopia birth family meetings, and Korea heritage tours.
• County Services Contracted services for Minnesota counties and tribal services including child-specific recruitment, family finding searches, family support coaching, foster care referrals, and social medical histories.
• Support Groups Ongoing community support groups for the adoption and foster care community including adoptee, birth parent, adoptive parent, and search and reunion groups.
• Foster Care Adoption Education Classes State-required pre-service and ongoing education for families fostering or adopting from Minnesota foster care, available in-person, hybrid, or fully online (4-week) formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,933 individuals served in 2025 through foster care, adoption, training, and post-adoption support
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KidsavecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHLSS partners with Kidsave to host older children from Colombia through the Summer Miracles Program. Children stay with host families for 4-5 weeks during the summer in designated U.S. communities, generally ranging in age from 10-14, with some having siblings. The program helps these children find permanent, loving, adoptive families.
• Lutheran Adoption Network (LAN)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCHLSS is a member of the Lutheran Adoption Network (LAN), a national network of agencies providing adoption services. Through LAN, CHLSS can access reliable adoption services for families needing services in other states.
• Ampersand FamiliesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five contracted agencies for Foster Care Adoption Education Classes in Minnesota. CHLSS is a contracted provider through the State of Minnesota providing the required education for families working with any of the five contracted agencies.
• Evolve Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five contracted agencies for Foster Care Adoption Education Classes in Minnesota through the State of Minnesota contracted provider network.
• Nexus-Kindred Family HealingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five contracted agencies for Foster Care Adoption Education Classes in Minnesota through the State of Minnesota contracted provider network.
• North HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five contracted agencies for Foster Care Adoption Education Classes in Minnesota through the State of Minnesota contracted provider network.
• National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC)coreTechnology or IntegrationAs of July 2025, the Korean government began overseeing adoption and post-adoption services directly, a responsibility previously held by Korean agencies. CHLSS supports adoptees through International Search Support & Consultation, reviewing U.S. adoption records and providing ongoing support as adoptees work with NCRC directly.
• TIES Adoptive Family TravelminorOthersRecommended travel resource for international adoptees and their families, offering transformative heritage travel experiences since 1994. Listed as a travel-related resource on CHLSS's International Adoptee Travel page.
• G.O.A.L. Global Overseas Adoptees' LinkminorOthersFounded in 1998 by overseas Korean adoptees who returned to Korea. G.O.A.L. offers services from Birth Family Search to travel-related citizenship and visa support. Listed as a travel and search resource for Korean adoptees.
• Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)minorOthersCHLSS utilizes ICPC for interstate adoption placements, coordinating with this federal-state agreement that regulates the interstate placement of children.
• American Academy of Adoption AttorneysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHLSS has collaborative relationships with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys as part of its designated adoption process support, helping families navigate the process of connecting with birth families in another state.
• MN Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHLSS operates under the Public Private Permanency Collaboration (PPPC) through Minnesota DCYF, providing child-specific recruitment, family finding, relative/kinship services, and openness consultation at no cost to referring counties or tribal services. DCYF also funds the Permanency Support Services Contract enabling many free support groups.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Council for Adoption (NCFA): Leading U.S. professional membership organization for adoption practitioners. CHLSS is an NCFA member; comparable on advocacy, accreditation standards, and best-practice dissemination rather than direct service delivery.

Direct peers

• Bethany Christian Services: Faith-based nonprofit providing adoption, foster care, pregnancy counseling, and refugee services across the U.S. Highly comparable full-lifecycle adoption/foster care model directly competing for state contracts, donor dollars, and prospective families.
• The Children's Village: New York-based nonprofit serving children in foster care, kinship care, and adoption with residential and community-based programs. Directly comparable child welfare and permanency focus serving vulnerable youth populations.
• Holt International Children's Services: Specialist in intercountry adoption with programs in multiple countries including Colombia, South Korea, India, and Bulgaria. Direct peer in international adoption services, post-adoption search, and family support, with overlapping jurisdictional presence.
• Gladney Center for Adoption: Texas-based full-service adoption agency offering domestic infant, foster, and international adoption plus post-adoption services. Direct peer with comparable service breadth and similar reliance on government contracts and donor funding.
• Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children: NYC-area nonprofit providing domestic and international adoption, foster care, and a broad range of post-adoption support services. Closely aligned with CHLSS's model of comprehensive lifetime services across the adoption journey.

Broad incumbents

• Lutheran Services in America: National network of Lutheran human services organizations of which LSS is a member. Comparable governance and funding model across a wider portfolio of human services including child welfare and refugee programs.
• Catholic Charities USA: National federation of Catholic Charities agencies offering adoption, foster care, and family services through diocesan affiliates. Wider portfolio but directly comparable adoption and family support offerings, including post-adoption and pregnancy counseling.

Emerging players

• Kidsave: Nonprofit focused on finding permanent families for older children, including the Summer Miracles host program from Colombia. Already an active CHLSS partner with overlapping mission around older-child adoption and hosting models.

Regional players

• Ampersand Families: Minnesota-based adoption-competent mental health and permanency support organization serving foster/adoptive families. Regional peer with overlapping Minnesota foster care adoption education contracts and post-adoption support services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/chlssadoption
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chlss
• Instagraminstagram.com/chlssadoption

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Children's Home Society & Family Services