Companions to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Sweden – experiences of Swedish families

Abstract

PurposeMany unaccompanied children have sought asylum in Sweden during recent years. They needed different kinds of support not only from the authorities but also from the local community. The purpose of this paper is to explore how families from local communities can support the children and be the neutral companion they long for.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was adopted for this descriptive study. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.FindingsThe families wanted to know more about unaccompanied children than the information presented in the mass media. They showed deep engagement in getting to know the boys and strong affection for them because they got a sense of how difficult their lives were. Families with experience as parents can play an important role to guide the children into the Swedish society and be trustful adults who can complement the professionals in the authorities and accommodations. The families in this project needed more support through information and strategies about how to handle difficult situations during the children’s asylum process.Research limitations/implicationsThis study describes a pilot project in a small municipality in Sweden. The participating families described the support given to a group of boys. More studies should focus on support for girls in similar situation.Originality/valueThere are limited studies on how families in local communities can support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.