Refugee Foster
Care

Refugee Foster
Care

Refugee Foster Care, also known as
Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Foster Care,
is taking in a child or youth who have been separated
from their families due to war, conflict, natural disaster,
or abuse by caregivers who were meant to protect them,
typically from another country.

Refugee Foster Care, also known as Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Foster Care, is taking in a child or youth who have been separated from their families due to war, conflict, natural disaster or abuse by caregivers who were meant to protect them. These situations create upheaval in their lives forcing them to flee from countries in Central America, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Each refugee or unaccompanied refugee minor has a different story, but the love and support you can provide will change your and their life forever.

Learn More

What is
Refugee Foster Care?

Refugee Foster Care, also known as Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Foster Care, is taking in a child or youth who have been separated from their families due to war, conflict, natural disaster or abuse by caregivers who were meant to protect them. These situations create upheaval in their lives forcing them to flee from countries in Central America, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Each refugee or unaccompanied refugee minor has a different story, but the love and support you can provide will change your and their life forever.

Annually, there are over 2,000 youth and children that arrive to the U.S. as Refugees. Most range between the ages of 15-17, but can be as young as 5. Some enter the country with their families and some are displaced from their families. Some of these Refugees will never be allowed to return to their home country and some may never be reunited with their birth families.

What Does it Take to Become a Refugee Foster Family?

1. Passion to invest in a child’s future and create a new family together
2. Time to spend with the child daily, time to take the child to medical, counseling and other appointments, time to meet with and learn from foster program staff
3. Openness to learn about your child’s culture, country and background and a willingness to share your culture as well

Each family is unique! Just as children’s stories are unique and diverse, so too are the stories of the families who foster them. Foster families come from diverse cultural backgrounds, are single or married, have children or have no prior parenting experience

What is the Process?

Here is a glimpse at the process of becoming a Refugee Foster Family.

1.

Learn about becoming a foster parent for unaccompanied youth.

2.

Become a licensed foster parent. Each state’s timelines and requirements are different but typically include:

  • Attending an orientation session
  • Completing an application
  • Providing references
  • Documentation and financial stability
  • Fingerprinting and background check
  • Interviews with the family
  • Home study assessment

3.

Get Trained. Foster parent training is typically 6-8 sessions plus specialized sessions on fostering unaccompanied refugee minor.

Start the Process!

To preview the RFA Process in detail, visit this webpage.

What do foster parents say about the benefits of fostering a refugee or unaccompanied child?

“Sense of being a real help to someone in profound and life-changing ways on a day to day basis is tremendously rewarding.”

“Being able to introduce a child to so many new things and see it through their eyes.”

“Prepare to be in it for the long haul. Have fun with the child and give yourself time to grow to love them. Invest all you can into them because if you stay with them, your investment stays with them.”

What are children saying about being in a foster family?

“I am happy. I have brothers and sisters, a mom and a dad, a church, and no soldiers. I am happy.”

“My experience is that I have this family, like my real family, which [makes me] feel safe.”

“They love me and include me in their family. They are the best parents ever!”

What Do I Do Next?

Below you’ll find links for the Application, Training and FAQs on how to become a Refugee Foster Family, or Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Foster Family.

Application

Preliminary Application (English)

Preliminary Application (Spanish)

Training

Parent Training Programs

FAQs

Foster Care for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors

FAQ Unaccompanied Minor

What You Need to Know About Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Children 

URM 101 Fact Sheet 

URM Roles and Expectations

I Want to Help a Refugee!

Foster Families Urgently Needed

Join ICA in our mission to provide vulnerable youth with the opportunity of living
in family environments, which are essential for their development and well-being.
Let us know how we can better assist you.

Join ICA in our mission to provide vulnerable youth with the opportunity of living in family environments, which are essential for their development and well-being. Let us know how we can better assist you.

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PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, The Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME), a national accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to provide Hague Accreditation and Approval, invites the public to provide comment on intercountry adoption service providers seeking Hague Accreditation, Approval or Renewal. You are invited to provide comments through the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/about-adoption-service-providers/hague-complaint-registry.html

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, The Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME), a national accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to provide Hague Accreditation and Approval, invites the public to provide comment on intercountry adoption service providers seeking Hague Accreditation, Approval or Renewal. You are invited to provide comments through the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/about-adoption-service-providers/hague-complaint-registry.html