Every young person deserves a safe place to call home, caring adults in their corner, and the opportunity to build a future.
LCSNW partners with a community of caregivers to welcome and support refugee and immigrant youth through our Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) program. These young people are unable to return to their countries of origin and do not have a parent or other adult available to care for them.
Through licensed foster care, group care, and supported semi-independent living, youth are connected with safe and stable housing while receiving the support they need to thrive. Services include health coverage, legal and immigration support, and guidance from a dedicated team of professionals who help youth navigate school, work, community life, and the transition to adulthood.
A welcoming home can make a difference
Our Refugees Northwest Foster Care program is currently seeking additional licensed foster parents and affordable rooms to rent, known as “host homes,” for refugee and immigrant teenagers in King County and south Snohomish County, and north Pierce County.
Foster parents and host home providers offer more than a place to live. They can provide stability, encouragement, connection, and the everyday support that helps a young person feel welcome and part of a community.
You do not need to have previous foster care experience to learn more. LCSNW provides support throughout the process, and our staff are available to answer questions about what it means to become a licensed foster parent or an approved host home.
“I have so much gratitude and admiration for our foster parents and host homes. Instead of leaning into feelings of hopelessness—which can be so easy to do—they have decided to take active steps that create a better community for all of us really, not just the individual young people they welcome. And what we hear from our families is that this experience is one that really stretches them and expands their lives too. For anyone who has space in their home and is seeking a way to create positive change, I hope they consider exploring fostering or hosting.”
— Katie Pickard, Program Manager, Refugees Northwest Foster Care, a program of LCSNW
Learn more
We offer virtual information sessions where our staff provide an overview of the youth we serve, the support available to youth, foster families, and host homes, and the basics of the licensing and host home approval process.
View upcoming information session dates and register.
To learn more, email [email protected] or visit refugeechildren.net.
Whether you are considering becoming a foster parent or have an affordable room to offer, opening your home can be one meaningful way to help a young person feel safe, supported, and connected.
