One of the hallmarks of LIRS's mission has been our commitment to the needs of refugee and immigrant children who come to the U.S. alone. For more than 25 years, LIRS has been one of only two refugee resettlement agencies authorized by the U.S. Department of State to arrange foster care placements for "unaccompanied refugee minors." These are children and youth who come to the U.S. through the U.S. Refugee Program, but lack a parent or caregiver due to death of family members, abandonment, or separation due to war or civil unrest. Unaccompanied minors make up roughly 3 to 5 percent of any refugee flow. While a small proportion of the world's refugee population, unaccompanied children are some of the most vulnerable of all uprooted people.

Over the years, LIRS has placed more than 5,000 unaccompanied refugee minors with licensed and trained foster families through 25 affiliated child welfare programs across the country. These programs have provided foster care and related services to youths from all around the globe, including: Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Cuba, Djibouti, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, Kurdistan, Laos, Liberia, Mexico, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Viet Nam. These youths come from many ethnic and religious backgrounds, with the common characteristic that they have all fled various forms of war and civil unrest. Despite such tragedies, these youths are survivors who are eager for a second chance at childhood and a peaceful, productive life.

These youths can remain in foster care until they have completed high school or reach 20 to 21 years of age (depending on particular state foster care regulations). In addition to foster care, these youths receive support services such as: on-going assistance of a social worker, ESL/tutoring, health/mental health services, independent living and job skills training, counseling and support groups, legal assistance, recreation, etc. Special attention is paid to the cultural needs and adjustments of these children. Because these youths have no resources of their own and no immediate relatives to care for them, their basic needs are funded through a federal program of the Office of Refugee Resettlement that follows domestic foster care guidelines.

In addition to unaccompanied children who have entered through the U.S. Refugee Program, these foster care programs have been a resource for youths who have entered the country alone and been placed in the custody of the federal government pending a determination of their legal status. The program also serves asylees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, Amerasians, trafficking victims, and others. As an alternative to detaining such children, some youths have been referred for foster care and community-based services through the LIRS network of culturally sensitive foster care providers. Examples of such youths include minors who are applying for, or have been granted, asylum in the United States; minors with special needs; and youths potentially at risk from smugglers or traffickers.

Page updated June 17, 2005.