URM Frequently Asked Questions

The majority of URMs enter the program between ages 15 and 17. They must enter the program prior to their 18^th birthday in order to be eligible for our program. As with all children in Massachusetts foster care, once URM youth turn 18, they are able to sign a voluntary placement agreement and remain in care until age 22. It is rare for youth in our program to be younger than 13.

Our program serves unaccompanied children who have typically embarked on the journey to the United States without a parent or guardian to care for them. Generally, unaccompanied minors who make the dangerous journey across the border alone are adolescents seeking safety and resources. The goal for all children intercepted at the border is reunification with family, so long as that is in the best interests of the child. Of all children intercepted at the border, most are either repatriated back to their home country or are reunified with family here in the U.S. A very small percentage of youth are determined to be eligible for a URM program like ours. Our program serves this unique group of youth for whom it is determined that foster care is the best option.

On average, foster care placements in our program last between 2 and 3 years. With support from the program and their foster families, our goal is for URM youth to reach independence. Often youth that have finished high school are ready to move out of their foster homes into college settings or their own apartment. Many of our youth develop lifelong connections with their foster families and stay in touch for years to come, returning to the foster home for frequent visits.

Adding a new family member to your home will be life changing for each individual in your home. When a new child comes into your home, many aspects of your daily routine will change; from the foods you cook to who uses the bathroom first. You need to be willing to make changes in your home in order to meet the needs of the new child.

Yes! Many of our current foster parents have young biological children in the home, and have successfully added an unaccompanied teen into their family. These foster youth have experienced significant trauma, and it can be common for them to experience depression or anxiety. This looks different for each youth, but it may mean, for example, that they need encouragement to socialize and try new things. Your Ascentria social worker will help to support that everyone feels safe and comfortable.

Unlike traditional foster children, refugee minors are generally not eligible for adoption. However, recent policy changes from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and The Office for Refugee Resettlement (ORR) now permits adoption of children in the URMP, under very specific circumstances.

If there is an opportunity for a URM to reunify with family, our program pursues that option within the best interests of the child.

URMs speak a variety of different languages. Many of our youth from Eritrea speak Tigrinya, while youth from the Democratic Republic of the Congo could speak Swahili or French. Many of our youth from Central America speak Spanish, but it is also common for these youth to speak an indigenous language from their community, such as Quiche from Guatemala. All of the URM youth are learning English at different levels, and foster families must be creative in communicating with URMs when they first arrive.

Applicants must:

• Be a resident of Massachusetts 
• Be at least 25 years old
• Be a stable, mature and healthy adult able to meet the needs of a youth
• Have a clean criminal record for the past 5 years with no history of abusing children
• Have a home that meets safety requirements and standards

Yes, as long as you feel you have the time and resources to provide for a new child.

Yes! Ascentria does not discriminate against foster parent applicants on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. In fact, Ascentria is committed to recruiting more LGBTQ+ identifying and affirming foster parents, as an increasing number of foster youth also identify with the LGBTQ+ community. It is essential that LGBTQ+ foster youth are placed into homes that will affirm their identities.

Yes, many of our current foster families are working parents that juggle the responsibilities of family life. It is important that our foster families be financially secure in order to meet the needs of the foster child. It is equally important that working parents who want to foster for our program have flexible working hours in order to meet once a month with a case manager and a family resource worker.

Absolutely not. The only requirement is that your residence must meet safety standards.

No, they can share a bedroom with other children, as long ages and genders are appropriate together.

You and your foster care worker will determine the best possible match for your family which includes consideration for the gender, cultural background and age of the youth.

Absolutely! As long as your home meets the requirements, and we determine that you can care for multiple youth.

Young people in the custody of the State of Massachusetts receive Masshealth insurance, the state provided insurance program that covers medical/dental/vision/hearing, prescriptions and mental health services. 

There are many factors that determine how long the licensing process takes. To become a foster parent you must attend 30 hours of training and have a social worker visit your home at least 4 times to complete a home study. If your schedule is flexible, you will be able complete the training sooner and meet with the social worker more frequently, thus helping the process along. On average, it takes about 6 months to become a licensed foster parent.

It depends on how open you are to older teens, various cultural backgrounds and sibling groups. We want to make sure that you are fostering a youth who is a good match for your family. We are committed to working WITH you to make sure that you have a positive experience.

There are a lot of different agencies you could work with. We are a small agency with more than 30 years of experience in this field, and over 140 years of serving children in the region. We are also the only agency in New England to exclusively serve refugee young people. We have the resources and experience of a much larger agency but our size and commitment provides the personal connection of a small family. We believe that our best asset is that when you work with us we treat you like family. We recognize that when you bring a young person into your home, one who truly needs your care and support -- that you will need the personal and professional support that we can provide. Ascentria also administers intensive foster care programs for American young people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. We work with children and families who need our services, regardless of their background or belief.