How to Become a Foster Parent for Unaccompanied Minor Refugee Children

In countries where children become refugees, they are often also orphans or they become separated from their parents in the chaos. As a result, the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, may grant asylum to these children as unaccompanied minors. The children are available for foster care through the state's Department of Human Services where they are resettled.

Instructions

    • 1

      Contact your state's Office of Refugee Resettlement State Refugee Coordinator to determine what children are available in the state foster care system.

    • 2

      Complete the required training classes. The required length of the training varies from state to state but averages between 12 and 18 hours and is usually offered by the local Department of Family and Child Services (DFCS) office.

    • 3

      Pass the required Home Study. Your local DFCS office or a partner agency will need to complete and approve a home study before you can be approved to foster any child. The home study involves interviews with you and your family members about your lifestyle, home, parenting beliefs, parenting experience and your personal history.

    • 4

      Complete any remaining required paperwork such as medical testing, financial statements and a criminal background check.

    • 5

      Request that you become a placement location for a minor refugee child in foster care. Your local state coordinator or local DFCS office will contact you with potential matches.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Become a Foster Parent in Hawaii
      According to the Foster Care Month website, thousands of children in Hawaii are in the foster care system. Because laws prevent foster parents from taking in too many children, there are shortages of foster parents all children available. Foster pare
    • How to Run a Respite Care Foster Home
      A respite care foster home gives attention and living support to children who have special needs due to a past traumatic experience or to children whose regular foster family needs some time alone. In addition to regular foster home certification, yo
    • How to Choose a Foster Care Agency
      There are a number of different agencies that provide foster care services. The most well-known is Job and Family Services for your county or state, but you are not limited to working only through your local government agency. There are a number of p