Hi Star,
I don't know what state your group home will be in, and state laws tend to vary in particulars (client to staff ratio; food safety guidelines, which determine who is allowed in the kitchen; the level of training staff must have; etc). That being said, I can give you some general information about how things work in Florida, from a staff perspective.
I've worked in a variety of facilities for children/teens, and they are anything but standardized. At least here in Florida, though, they fall into two main types. The first is a sort of private home setting. A married couple (there are occasional exceptions, but they're rare) are in charge. They basically serve as "Mom" and "Dad" to a rotating group of kids (usually same-sex) that are awaiting placement. Normally six to eight kids live in the home at any one time. The house is provided by the state and is modified to meet state guidelines regarding number of bedrooms, commercial-style kitchen, etc, and is normally located on a semi-secure piece of state property out in a rural area. A lot of times the kids that end up in this environment are transitioning out of the juvenile justice system, and the state feels that they need the extra security/stability.
The environment is rigorously scheduled, the adults are expected to establish a routine and the kids get very little free time...though it's not a workhouse, a lot of their time is spent on sports and activities, but they are expected to maintain a chore schedule. There are three or four relief workers to provide days off for the married couple and to help out if kids need transportation to doctors, court appointments, things like that.
The second type of facility is more of a warehousing situation, with kids of both genders and all ages awaiting placement. Kids who end up there come from all sorts of backgrounds -- temporary or permanent removal from the home, newly out of juvenile justice, awaiting foster placement, coming off addictions, coming out of a secure mental health facility...you name it.
This type of facility, as you might expect, has a lot more staff. There's a program director in charge. There are generally three or four therapists, a few teachers (few, if any, of the kids are permitted to go off-grounds to school), and five or ten direct-care staff. There are also a couple of nurses and a few case managers. The exact number of staff varies according to the number of kids and the state's client to staff ratio guidelines.
There is normally a food service worker supervising the kitchen, but staff and kids are allowed/expected to help out here in FL. In some states, no one without a food handling license is allowed in the kitchen at all.
The kids sleep in single-sex dorms, and there are at least two overnight staff that position themselves between the dorms to prevent late-night escapes or dorm-shuffling. During the day, they go to classes, participate in activities, sometimes go on field trips (depending on the circumstances). They see a therapist regularly, along with a case manager (who handles practical matters such as lining up doctor visits, managing court dates and visits with their parents, things like that).
As for touring a facility, your best bet is to call your local Department of Children and Families (or whatever they're called in your area) and explain the situation. Some facilities are more secure than others, and they can guide you to one that would be appropriate to visit. It's basically the children's identities that they want to protect, so you may be able to tour the grounds with the Director while the kids are in class or off on a field trip. Stress that you're not a reporter, and you have no interest in taking pictures (pictures are generally a big no-no).
Good luck! Feel free to let me know if you need any more information!!