| Ages | Newborn -
18 y.o | Teenagers,
typically 16-17 y.o |
| Genders | Male/Female | Mostly males |
| Goal | Reunification with birth parents, unless parental rights have been terminated. | Independent
living once they age out of the system at the age of 21 y.o |
| Parental Visits | If parental rights have not been terminated,
the frequency of the required visits depends on the child's age. | No parental visits. Birth parents are either deceased or "missing" outside of the U.S. |
| Adoption Eligibility | If parental rights have been terminated by a court, the child becomes eligible for adoption. | Not eligible for adoption, because birth parents rights were never terminated. |
| Place of Origin | Anywhere in the U.S. | Prior to coming to the U.S,
refugee foster children live in refugee camps all around the world.
They are only brought to the US once they have matched with a licensed family.
Most Muslim refugee foster kids,
are currently coming from Africa and the Far East.
None are coming from the Middle East at this time. |
| Trauma Experienced | Varies greatly. Physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect,
substance abuse,
removal from family. | Same as domestic, as well as new country,
new language,
new culture,
likely to have experienced exposure to war. |
| Schooling | Likely to have experienced interrupted schooling. | Likely to have missed many years of formal schooling. |
| Licensing Procedure | 3-6 months starting with an orientation. | Same as domestic, plus minor additional steps, such as TB screening for the foster parents. |
| Travel | Cannot travel outside the state of residence without the consent of birth parents. | Cannot travel outside the state of residence without the permission of the court. |
