At LIRS, we believe compassion is the best policy. Our programs for vulnerable children emphasize safety, family unification, and trauma-centered care. Our depth of experience and expertise have made us a trusted partner of the U.S. government, and we are honored to play a leading role in uniting unaccompanied immigrant children with their families.
When a family finds themselves in the midst of war, famine, or persecution, survival often means a dangerous journey. Sometimes families are split apart as they flee for their safety, sometimes parents don’t survive the journey, and sometimes children flee alone. In the past several years, we have seen a growing number of children flee to the U.S. from Central America, primarily El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, without any parent accompanying them. These children are often fleeing gang violence, trafficking, threats, and extortion, as well as abuse, domestic violence, and poverty. Many are seeking to be reunified with family in the United States and will enter transitional foster care while we work toward that reunification.
Through our foster care, mental health, and family reunification programs, LIRS works to ensure each child has a safe, stable home. Learn more about how LIRS serves immigrant and refugee children below.
Foster Care
Every year, thousands of refugee and migrant children journey to the United States alone–without their parents or family to accompany them. LIRS works with the U.S. government and our network partners to place these children in loving homes with licensed foster parents who are trained to provide care for immigrant youth.
Mental Health Services
Due to the circumstances they’ve fled, refugee and immigrant children often experience trauma and mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. LIRS recently established our new Mental Health Services program to serve the unique needs of refugee and immigrant children and families at no cost. Our licensed bilingual clinicians are well-versed in trauma-centered, empowering care that supports children as they begin their new lives in the United States.
Family Reunification
Imagine for a moment that you’re a child separated from your family, in a completely new country, surrounded by people who are speaking a language you can’t understand. At LIRS, we see the courage and resilience of children who are faced with this situation every day — and we work diligently to protect these children and reunite them with loved ones as quickly as possible.
Through our network of trusted community partners, LIRS provides assistance to the U.S. government to identify family members in the country and ensure that children in our care are safely released to loved ones who are well-equipped to care for them. After families have been reunified, we provide extended support to particularly vulnerable families as they adjust to life together and navigate the immigration system.