Refugee foster care programs are funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, via State Refugee Coordinator offices. All foster care programs are licensed and monitored regularly by their state child welfare authority. Foster families must go through a background clearance and licensing process. In addition, LIRS and USCC provide quality control and serve as an on-going resource for these programs. These programs use families from varied backgrounds to foster refugee youth.
Programs recruit families from the same ethnic communities represented by minors in their care.
Such placements are a priority for younger children. Native-born foster families are also a strong resource for this program, with many families who have fostered children from various ethnic backgrounds and become familiar with the needs of refugee youth. In addition, programs recruit immigrant families from varied ethnic origins, who personally understand the refugee adjustment, even if not from the same ethnic perspective. Some programs also utilize group homes or group foster care homes. In a few specialized circumstances, programs have been able to access residential treatment services for youth who are severely traumatized or who have special needs.