Narrated by Sam Shick http://www.samshick.com
Are you ready to become a foster parent?
At Lutheran Community Services (LCS) Northwest, we recruit, license, and support foster parents as they navigate the foster care process. We are here to ensure that you, your family, and the children placed in your home are safe, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive. We understand that each family is different, which is one of the many reasons we are excited to offer our Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Foster Care program.
Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Foster Care
With the help of international resettlement agencies, we place refugee youth ages 14–17 in foster homes in the local Spokane area. As with traditional foster care, this program aims to provide a safe home and a network of support for youth in need. This program serves minors seeking refuge from various overseas and Central American countries who entered the resettlement process without a parent or guardian to care for them.
Our foster families and program staff work together to make a profound difference in the lives of these young refugees. We help them heal from past trauma, learn English, continue their education, and prepare for a future of independence. While a youth’s placement in a foster home may only be for their teenage years, we ask our foster families to make a long-term commitment to a relationship with the child placed in their home, knowing that they are providing a safe and nurturing environment that can change a life.
During the placement process, foster parents receive parenting assistance, intensive case management, 24-hour on-call services, ongoing training, and financial compensation. In turn, we ask our foster parents to:
- Provide a safe and nurturing home environment.
- Offer emotional support while managing behavior.
- Provide transportation for education, medical appointments, and extracurricular activities.
- Be willing to learn about the youth’s culture and incorporate it into their home.
- Provide opportunities for youth to establish meaningful life-long relationships.
If your family or others in your social network are interested in supporting refugee youth, we hope you will consider working with us. For more information about our program or to sign up for one of our monthly info sessions, email us at theirhope@lcsnw.org or call 509-747-8224.
As a Trauma-informed care organization, Lutheran Community Services Northwest strives to ensure that individuals of all ages have timely access to services from knowledgeable, caring providers. To provide clinically and culturally appropriate behavioral healthcare and related services, our experienced staff seek to understand each person’s unique situation and then develop a plan to assist individuals on their path to wellness through counseling and skill building.
Kelsey Doerr is the Foster Parent Recruiter for Lutheran Community Services NW. Learn more at lcsnw.org/program/refugee-foster-care
