LCSNW Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program receives refugee youth ages 14-17 and places them into foster homes and group homes in the Spokane area. These youth have fled their countries due to war, conflict, and violence in search of safety and a better life. They do not have family to care for them, so our organization works to find them loving homes and reach their goals for success.
Are you willing to open your heart and home to a foster child? We’ll be honest, being a foster parent can be challenging. At the same time, we hear from many foster parents that they have grown from the experience.
In our LCS Northwest foster programs, we recruit, license and support foster parents. We are here to help foster parents so they aren’t in this alone. Our goal is to help you provide a stable home for youth who cannot live with their families. We recruit parents for two different programs – International Foster Care and Domestic Foster Care.
Foster parents and program staff work together to provide a safe haven to refugee and immigrant children from around the world. Refugee youth will be supported in their work to heal from past trauma while they pursue goals of learning English, getting an education, and preparing for a future of independence. Foster families are asked to make a long-term commitment to care for refugee child placed in their home.
Informational meetings for the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program are held on the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30-7:30pm at 210 W. Sprague, Spokane WA 99201. Please contact us to RSVP.
The role of a Refugee Foster Parent is to:
- Provide a safe and supportive home environment.
- Offer emotional support while managing behavior.
- Provide transportation and support for education, medical appointments and extracurricular activities.
- Be willing to learn about the youth’s culture and incorporate it into your home.
- Provide opportunities for youth to establish meaningful life-long relationships.
Most foster parents report a positive experience with refugee children. Many say they receive more from their foster children than what they gave.
Foster families receive:
- Youth and behavioral parenting support
- Intensive case management
- 24-hour on-call services
- Initial and ongoing training
- Compensation package
International foster youth receive:
- Foster care placement
- Individual counseling/behavioral support
- Skill development
- Participation in school and/or work
- Intensive case management
- Psycho-pharmacology services
- Community connections and support services
