Presents the knowledge gained by a New York City voluntary service agency in the placement of refugee unaccompanied minors. Louise Wise Services (LWS) received 4 male teenagers from Vietnam in the early 1980’s and had no choice but to place them in foreign settings with foster parents unfamiliar with their culture. Subsequent experience placing unaccompanied minors from Haiti within the large Haitian communities of Brooklyn and Queens afforded a living comparison between the two different types of placements. Although both groups had their own adjustment problems, more Vietnamese than Haitian youngsters sought transfers to other foster families or dropped out of the program. Thus, in anticipation of the arrival of unaccompanied Cambodian (Khmer) children from refugee camps in Thailand, LWS arranged for placements in the emerging Khmer community in New York City. While placement of unaccompanied minors in ethnically similar homes is preferable because it provides youngsters continuity from their past to their future, recent immigrants who are recruited as foster parents may require training in how to use city and social services, and not only the children but the parents as well will require help in understanding the American school system.
