Foster Care for Refugee Youth

Alone in a strange land
Lutheran Social Services of Michigan’s Unaccompanied Minor Program, based in Lansing,
serves youth under age 18 from many countries.
We offer safety and protection to refugee and immigrant children who are separated from
their parents. These young people, usually teens when they arrive in the U.S., fled their
countries of birth due to religious, ethnic or political persecution or because of domestic
violence, abuse or exploitation.
They come from countries such as Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia,
Afghanistan, Iraq, Guatemala and Honduras. They need loving, supportive foster families
to help them transition to adulthood.
There can be challenges for the youth and the foster parents, as language and cultural
barriers intersect with adolescent behavior and memories of past traumas. We provide
support - and with your help, these children and become successful adults.

We provide a safe, nurturing and stable environment for refugee youths who do not have
parents or adults who can provide care. They are placed with foster families when they
arrive in the United States.

You can help
Refugee foster care is a challenging, but rewarding job. The young people in the program
have endured traumatic events in their home countries such as Burma, Somalia and Iraq.
Most are from cultures that are very different from our own. Many know little English when
they arrive here. They need a great deal of patience and understanding.
You can help them adjust to our educational, financial, political and social systems and
help them learn to function independently while also encouraging them to maintain
their own culture.
You must meet the requirements for licensing by the State of Michigan and go through
initial and ongoing foster parent training. You must also be willing to participate in cultural
training. All members of your family must be committed to the responsibility of caring
for a foster child.
The goal of our foster care program is to support the youth as they gain an education and
begin to live independently in the U.S. We have many opportunities for these youth to become
engaged in their communities and ease the transition into their new life, including: cultural
orientation, independent living classes, youth retreats, focus groups, mentoring, tutoring and
counseling.

Where to find us
Our office is located at 801 South Waverly Road, Lansing.
We are open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Please call us with any questions at (517) 321-7663 or email lansinginfo@lssm.org

Supervised Independent Living: Homes Needed
Before becoming completely independent, most foster children spend some time in
LSSM’s Supervised Independent Living program. They learn how to budget, shop,
plan meals, and care for a home while attending school and working part time.
Consider providing a room for an older teen or young adult in this program.
In exchange for a negotiated monthly rent, you will provide a room and board,
along with informal education in the skills needed to function as an adult in America.