Unaccompanied children are minors who aren’t in the care of a parent or legal guardian and lack immigration status. They make the treacherous journey to the United States to escape violence, abuse, neglect, or abandonment, hoping to reunite with family as soon as possible.
Most of the children come from Central America, predominantly Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Because of their undocumented status, they are sometimes placed in detention centers or other shelter-like facilities.
Fortunately, programs like LSC Transitional Foster Care, which operates in the Columbia, SC area, offer these children placement in a much more welcoming and loving setting with foster families.
LSC seeks caring and committed foster families around Columbia, SC, to provide nurturing homes for unaccompanied children waiting to be reunited with their families OR SPONsORS.
LSC Licensing and Recruitment staff will work with all interested families in the Columbia, SC, area to secure Foster Care licensure. The licensing process complies with the South Carolina Department of Social Services standards. LSC staff will ensure that foster parents receive training, information, and ongoing support, as they provide a safe, stable, and loving environment for a child.
The ability to speak Spanish is not a requirement for foster families. Bilingual staff at LSC can assist foster families with communication.
Qualifications For Foster Parents:
- May be single, married, living with a partner, or divorced
- Must be able to provide a clean, safe, loving home
- May rent or own your home
- Must be emotionally stable and demonstrate compassion for children who may have had traumatic experiences
- Must be a US Citizen or US Legal Resident
- Must be willing to work as a team for the best interest of the children
- Must be able to demonstrate financial stability and that you wouldn’t be relying on the board payment as income, even though our program offers a highly competitive board payment
- Fully understand that our program is dedicated to reuniting children with their families or sponsors. Adoption will not be an option for children in this program
What to Expect
If and when an unaccompanied minor is placed in your home, they will begin attending a school sponsored by LSC. A developmentally appropriate curriculum is offered on-site by a certified teacher who helps children with English, acculturation, and transitioning to the public school system upon their release from the LSC program.
To learn more, call 803-849-4009 or email UCinfo@lscarolinas.net.