Asylum-seeking Children Research Articles

Educators’ attitudes towards refugee pupils: intergroup contact and virtuous circles

ABSTRACT Educators’ attitudes are a key factor in the practices they enact, their expectations for pupils, and outcomes for pupils. For newly arrived refugee and asylum-seeking children, education is known to play a crucial role in the settling-in process. This study uses survey data (n = 295) and case studies of 17 educators at two schools in England to examine the attitudes of educators towards refugee pupils. It finds that educators had relatively positive attitudes towards refugee pupils and that previous relevant experience was associated with positivity. Educators at case study schools saw refugee pupils as assets, emphasised refugee pupils’ resilience, and blamed difficulties encountered on the education system rather than pupils. In the survey, previous experience teaching refugee pupils was associated with more positive attitudes towards them. While the direction of causality in this relationship was unclear, the case studies provided examples of educators attributing their positive attitudes to their interactions with refugee pupils and experiences working in multicultural schools. The study contributes to literature showing that intergroup contact improves attitudes towards outgroups and proposes that the relationship between school and individual educators’ attitudes could be seen as a ‘virtuous circle’ of positivity.

Renegotiating state-third sector relations through collaborative partnerships: The case of reception services for asylum-seeking children in Gothenburg, Sweden

ABSTRACT Unprecedented numbers of unaccompanied minors entering Sweden in 2015, alongside other challenging social issues, have contributed to renegotiating collaborative forms of local governance in the country. This has resulted in an emergence of collaborative partnerships between civil society and public actors (Idéburna offentliga partnerskap or IOP), as real alternative to the market-based contracts and traditional state grants. This article addresses IOP from a collaborative governance perspective and questions if and how it may cope with a major and well known governance challenge, that of balancing the different roles and principles of public and civil society realms, so as to sustain an effective and legitimate cross-sectorial partnership. It asks, may and how an IOP enable civil society organisations a more active role in co-designing and co-implementing local welfare services with public sector actors without undermining their distinctiveness? The arguments are based on a case study of, at the time, the largest IOP in Sweden initiated for early reception of unaccompanied minors in Gothenburg city. The partnership is assessed against a normative theoretical framework of balanced state-third sector relations. The results suggest that IOPs, under certain conditions, may serve as ‘spaces of hope’ for more balanced power relations in local governance models.

Narrating Paradox Affects: Unaccompanied Minor Asylum-Seekers in Austria

Asylum-seeking unaccompanied children and youngsters are situated at the crossroads between exclusionary and repressive asylum policies, on the one hand, and relatively inclusive and caring child welfare policies, on the other. This is the ‘asylum-child welfare paradox’ (Dursun and Sauer 2021). In this article, we explore the role of affect, feelings, and emotions in how unaccompanied minors respond to and process but also co-construct and resist this structural paradox through their ‘affective narratives’ (Bargetz and Eggers 2022). Based on qualitative interviews conducted with (former) unaccompanied minors in Austria in 2015, we observe that minors mobilize a set of feelings of fear, disappointment, frustration, and uncertainty due to experiences of rejection or loss of control; but unaccompanied minors also express feelings of confidence, joy, hope, and solidarity vis-à-vis their new environment and their future. Furthermore, the highly affective issues of belonging and non-belonging to their host country, of proximity and distance to other human beings hold an important place in their narratives as well as the ordering of time. We conclude that, rather than merely reacting to paradoxes that structure their social positions, minors actively shape such paradoxes and render them tangible and workable by means of narrating contradictory feelings and emotions and by mobilizing affectivity.

Infections in Asymptomatic Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children in London 2016-2022.

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are at increased risk of infections and experience barriers to healthcare access. There is a lack of evidence to underpin existing national and international guidance regarding asymptomatic infection screening in this population. We describe the results from routine infection screening of 1104 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children attending for testing at 3 London centers. We performed a retrospective analysis of routinely collected data from all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children seen in 3 services in London, United Kingdom, between 2016 and 2022. A total of 1104 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children attended clinic; all accepted screening. The median age was 16 years (range 11-18 years) and 987 (89%) were male. 407 (37%) had at least 1 infection; 116 (11%) had multiple infections. Tuberculosis infection and schistosomiasis were common (found in 18% and 17%, respectively). Hepatitis B infection was identified with a prevalence of 3.9%. Giardia 7.7%, tapeworm 3.3% and Strongyloides 2.8% were also commonly identified. We report the largest known dataset to our knowledge of infection screening in asymptomatic unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Europe to date. This data supports recommendations for routine asymptomatic screening in this high-risk cohort, based on the significant prevalence identified of infections of both personal and public health significance.

Emergency paediatric medicine consultation—a practical guide to a consultation with refugee and asylum-seeking children within the paediatric emergency department

There are increasing numbers of refugee and asylum-seeking children entering the UK annually who face significant barriers to accessing healthcare services. Clinicians working in the emergency department should have an awareness of the journeys children may have taken and the barriers they face in accessing care and have a holistic approach to care provision. We conducted a narrative literature review and used experiential knowledge of paediatricians working in the Paediatric Emergency Department to formulate a step-by-step screening tool. We have formulated a step-by-step screening tool, CCHILDS (Communication, Communicable diseases, Health—physical and mental, Immunisation, Look after (safeguarding), Deficiencies, Sexual health) which can be used by healthcare professionals in the emergency department.Conclusion: Due to increasing numbers of refugee and asylum-seeking children, it is important that every point of contact with healthcare professionals is an impactful one on their health, well-being and development. Future work would include validation of our tool.What is Known:•The number of refugees globally are rapidly increasing, leading to an increase in the number of presentations to the PED. These patients are often medically complex and may have unique and sometimes unexpected presentations that could be attributed to by their past. There are a multitude of resources available outlining guidance on the assessment and management of refugee children.What is New:•This review aims to succinctly summarise the guidance surrounding the assessment of refugee children presenting to the PED and ensure that healthcare professionals are aware of the pertinent information regarding this cohort. It introduces the CCHILDS assessment tool which has been formulated through a narrative review of the literature and acts as a mnemonic to aid professionals in their assessment of refugee children in the PED.

Does emotion regulation in adolescents in residential care mitigate the association between sexual victimization and poor psychological well-being?

BackgroundChildhood sexual abuse/assault has been linked to mental health problems that affect an individual's psychological well-being. This study explores the facets of emotional regulation as mediating mechanisms in the relationship between sexual victimization and psychological well-being in adolescents in residential care in Eastern Spain. Furthermore, it examines the role of sex assigned at birth and being unaccompanied asylum seeker children as possible moderators of the mediation model. MethodsA total of 346 adolescents (34.1% girls, 65.9% boys) aged between 11 and 19 years old completed a battery of instruments. Parallel multiple mediation paths were tested to determine whether sexual victimization is associated to psychological well-being across emotional regulation dimensions. Moderated mediation models with sex assigned at birth and the condition of unaccompanied asylum seeker children were tested too. ResultsThis study demonstrates that high sexual victimization is associated with poor psychological well-being in adolescents in residential care through the lack of emotional clarity, non-acceptance of emotional responses, and limited access to emotional regulation strategies (β = −0.6, 95%CI = −1.26, −0.09; β = −0.38, 95%CI = −0.9, 0.002; β = −0.39, 95%CI = −0.93, −0.03, respectively). In addition, the latter indirect effect pathway was significantly moderated by the condition of being unaccompanied asylum seeker children (β = 1.46, 95%CI = 0.28, 2.84). Sex assigned at birth was not shown to be a significant moderator. ConclusionsIdentifying which mechanisms of emotional regulation mediate the relationship between sexual victimization and psychological well-being in adolescents in residential care may contribute not only to reducing the psychological distress of these adolescents but also to improving the effectiveness and efficacy of the child welfare system.

Policy on the Right to Education of Refugees in Indonesia and Australia

Upholding human rights in the context of education is manifested in the form of the right to education. Realizing this right requires equal distribution of education which means the widest possible educational opportunity for everyone, including fulfilling children's rights to education for refugees or asylum seekers. Based on data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2021, there are 13,459 refugees in Indonesia, of whom it is estimated that around 27% are child refugees and 114 children of whom come alone or are separated from their families. This research article will discuss the role of the Indonesian state in providing educational rights to children of refugees from other countries or children of asylum seekers as well as international arrangements related to the education rights of children of asylum seekers in transit countries. This study uses normative juridical research methods, through international regulatory approaches and conceptual approaches, in this case studying and analyzing material and legal issues based on international regulations and concepts related to the study of Human Rights from the perspective of the Educational Rights of Asylum Seeking Refugee Children.

Navigating cultural transitions during resettlement: the case of unaccompanied refugee minors.

Refugees face the process of cross-cultural transitions upon arrival in their host country. This process is commonly referred to as acculturation and can be particularly challenging for asylum-seeking children and adolescent unaccompanied by a caregiver. To more effectively facilitate unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) resettlement, this study sought to obtain an enhanced understanding of the acculturation processes of these youth'. Thus, interviews with 48 URMs, all of whom arrived before the age of 16 years, were analyzed in two steps. First, how the youth described their host country's society and culture, followed by how they navigated within this societal and cultural landscape during resettlement. The youth described how they navigated the Norwegian cultural and societal landscape by gaining cultural competence, adapting and finding ways to contribute, which made it easier for the youth to gain access to the society, to succeed as well as enhance their sense of agency. However, the youths also reported having to navigate between the expectations of their original and host country cultures, struggling with finding a balance between the two cultures. The youth' acculturation processes seemed to be the result of both their own needs, wishes and behavior as well as specific features in their host country culture, which supports the notion that acculturation processes to some degree are context- and culture-dependent. Knowledge regarding the cultural and societal framework that these youth face and how they navigate within it during resettlement is critical for identifying possible cross-cultural challenges and promoting positive developmental tracks. To understand more about acculturation and integration processes, future research should include specific cultural and societal features as well as immigrants' own perspectives and experiences during resettlement.

Towards an ethics of compassionate care in accompanying human suffering: dialogic relationships and feminist activist scholarship with asylum-seeking mothers

ABSTRACT In the face of forced migrants’ urgent needs and ongoing human rights violations endured within and across borders, scholars note the ‘dual imperative’ (Jacobsen and Landau 2003) of documenting these realities while also responding through humanitarian advocacy and/or political activism. This article documents one such experience, that is, an action research process that began with the first author’s accompaniment of Central American asylum-seeking mothers and children in Boston and included witnessing to and documenting these mothers’ narratives in a context of systemic injustice, while contributing to the creation of a humanitarian grassroots network. The latter supported migrants’ needs while advocating for their right to asylum. Reflecting on these experiences, we explore how research that creates knowledge while acting in the world, demands what we herein describe as feminist activist scholarship grounded in dialogic relationality and compassionate care. The latter moves beyond empathetically feeling for or documenting the suffering of others, towards mutual accompaniment to engage in concrete actions to alleviate that suffering. The dialogic relationships of care in which scholars accompany and act with those at the margins have the potential to transform conventional, post-positivist knowledge production strategies from distancing or objectifying processes towards mutual accompaniment and activist scholarship.

Asylum plans concern councils

Proposals risk undermining local authority responsibilities to asylum-seeking children, leaders warn

Failure to thrive among asylum-seeking children: A descriptive study from Turkey.

The aim of the study was to determine failure to thrive among asylum-seeking children. The study was a descriptive study. The sample of the study comprised of 187 children who were registered in an Afghan Association. The power of the study was found to be 97% at 0.5% (moderate) effect size and 95% confidence level. The data was collected between November 8, 2021 and January 10, 2022 using a sociodemographic form and the children's anthropometric measurement. 57.2% of children were male and 44.9% were 6-12 years old. It was determined that female and male infants less than 1 year of age were underweight (z-score=-2) and male infants were stunting (z-score ≤-1). Childhood growth and development problems are significant issues among asylum-seeking families. Public health nurses need to develop their roles in organizing the healthcare service for vulnerable and underrepresented groups.

The Israeli preschool from the perspective of Eritrean asylum seekers: The issue of power relations in a context informed study

This context-informed study addressed the perceptions of Eritrean asylum seekers living in Israel regarding their children’s preschool education. The study was conducted in a qualitative approach and data was collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus groups. Three themes arose from the interview and focus group transcripts: (1) The participants’ experience of non-belonging; (2) Their cultural transition from Eritrea to Israel; and (3) Their encounter with Israeli society and culture through preschool. Across the three themes, aspects of power relations are highlighted, including between the participants and Israeli society and authorities, between them and their children, and between them and the researchers. The findings contribute to the theoretical knowledge about African asylum seekers and their encounter with the Israeli system. In addition, they point to the need for a uniform policy regarding the integration of asylum-seeking children in the Israeli education system, for allocating appropriate resources to that population, and for related pedagogical reforms.

Looked after children: an overview for the dental team

Looked after children (LAC) are children and young people (CYP) who have been under the continuous care of the local authority for more than 24 hours. Reasons for becoming looked after include concerns about abuse or neglect, breakdown in family functioning, or absence of a suitable caregiver (for example bereavement, parental illness, or separation, such as for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children). Many LAC live with foster families, extended family, or in residential care homes, but a CYP can be legally 'looked after' and still be living with their original or birth family, or living independently with support. Regardless of the circumstances, the local authority has responsibility for meeting the needs of the CYP, including dental care, usually via a named social worker. The evidence available suggests that LAC are at higher risk of dental caries and pain. In 2021, Public Health England reported on inequalities in oral health in England and although evidence was limited, found LAC to have poorer oral health and access to care. It is important that LAC are considered for enhanced prevention and reviewed regularly to enable appropriate provision of dental care. Understanding who can consent for dental treatment is essential.

The power of photographs in framing contests

The power of photographs in framing contests

Looked after children: an overview for the dental team.

Looked after children (LAC) are children and young people (CYP) who have been under the continuous care of the local authority for more than 24 hours. Reasons for becoming looked after include concerns about abuse or neglect, breakdown in family functioning, or absence of a suitable caregiver (for example bereavement, parental illness, or separation, such as for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children). Many LAC live with foster families, extended family, or in residential care homes, but a CYP can be legally 'looked after' and still be living with their original or birth family, or living independently with support. Regardless of the circumstances, the local authority has responsibility for meeting the needs of the CYP, including dental care, usually via a named social worker.The evidence available suggests that LAC are at higher risk of dental caries and pain. In 2021, Public Health England reported on inequalities in oral health in England and although evidence was limited, found LAC to have poorer oral health and access to care. It is important that LAC are considered for enhanced prevention and reviewed regularly to enable appropriate provision of dental care. Understanding who can consent for dental treatment is essential.

Breaching the family walls: Modelling the impact of prolonged visa insecurity on asylum-seeking children.

Children in asylum-seeking families are increasingly subject to deterrent host nation policies that undermine security in the post-migration context, however, little is known on the mental health consequences of such policy. This study examined the impact of prolonged visa insecurity on child mental health, by comparing two cohorts of refugee children entering Australia between 2010 and 2013, distinguished by visa security. The insecure visa sample comprised children from Tamil asylum-seeking families, while the secure visa sample was drawn from refugee families participating in the multi-ethnic 'Building a New Life in Australia' cohort study. Children in each sample were assessed for current mental health problems and trauma exposure. Mothers were assessed for trauma exposure, post-migration family stressors and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effects of prolonged visa insecurity on child mental health via family-and child-level variables were modelled using multi-level path analysis. Data comprised 361 children, aged 10-18, and 242 mothers across three levels of visa insecurity: permanent protection (n = 293), temporary protection (n = 40) and bridging visa (n = 28). Modelling showed that (1) visa insecurity was associated with poorer child mental health, (2) the association was mediated sequentially by post-migration family stressors and maternal PTSD and (3) the association was moderated by maternal PTSD. Our findings suggest that when government policy persistently undermines post-migration security, the capacity of families to protect children from accrued stressors is lowered, leaving a significantly higher proportion of children developing along trajectories of risk rather than resilience.

The Experience of Legal Transition for Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Children

This study aims to explore the experiences of refugee and asylum-seeking children undergoing legal transitions in their host countries. It seeks to understand the complexities of their legal navigation, the emotional and psychological impacts of their experiences, the role of social and community support, and their interactions with authorities. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 25 refugee and asylum-seeking children. The participants were selected to provide a diverse representation in terms of age, gender, country of origin, and legal status. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes and patterns within the data, aiming for theoretical saturation to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the children’s experiences. Four main themes were identified: Legal Navigation, Emotional and Psychological Impact, Social and Community Support, and Interaction with Authorities. Under Legal Navigation, children faced challenges with accessing clear information, securing trustworthy legal representation, and understanding the legal process. Emotional and Psychological Impact highlighted the prevalence of fear, uncertainty, trauma, and the strategies for resilience and hope. Social and Community Support emphasized the critical role of NGOs, peer networks, and family in providing necessary support. Interaction with Authorities revealed experiences of intimidation and the need for more child-friendly legal procedures. The study concludes that refugee and asylum-seeking children encounter significant challenges and barriers in their legal transitions, which have profound impacts on their emotional and psychological well-being. It underscores the necessity for a holistic approach in providing legal, emotional, and social support tailored to the unique needs of these children. Policies and practices should prioritize child-friendly procedures, accessible legal representation, and comprehensive support systems to mitigate the challenges faced by these vulnerable populations.

Children’s Well-Being as the Cornerstone of a Child-Centred Asylum Policy: The (In)visibility of Underage Asylum-Seeker Needs in Poland

The focus on children’s well-being is fundamental to any child-centred policy. Hence, migrating children’s interests are usually considered in a migrant context rather than in the best interests of the child, highlighting the challenges of implementing child-centred asylum policies in practice. Based on this observation, the paper focuses on the discrepancies between the legal provisions for the reception of minor asylum seekers in Poland and practice on the ground: how they serve the education opportunities for such children, as the only social area where the child-centred approach is detectable. The paper discusses the extent to which the legal provisions of the Polish migration law are suitable for adopting a child-centred approach in the asylum procedure to enable children to continue their education. It is further explored in connection to the Micreate fieldwork study with asylum-seeking children. The paper analyses specific institutions to assess their potential for implementing child-centred management in the reception and integration of asylum seekers and to highlight the obstacles in this direction. Finally, the paper formulates recommendations for necessary changes and shifts in practice to recognise the children-friendly practices in asylum procedures.

The role of emotions in educational work with asylum-seeking and refugee children in culturally diverse classrooms

ABSTRACT This article examines the role of emotions in educational work with asylum-seeking and refugee children by studying a specific case of teaching in culturally diverse classrooms. Using empirical data from various classroom contexts in Denmark based on teacher interviews and participant observations, the role of emotions is examined through a relational approach informed by, among others, Sara Ahmed. The analysis firstly developed three types of situated emotion management performed by actors for a wide range of reasons, feeling rules and organisational regulations. Secondly, I undertook a theoretical interpretation of the analysis involving a study of emotions asking, ‘what do emotions do’ and ‘how do emotions operate’ to make and shape bodies of othering. The findings suggest that a relational approach to emotion allows for a better understanding of how emotions work with effect in educational work with asylum-seeking and refugee children and, accordingly, how teachers can benefit from including this approach in understanding and finding solutions to the important role emotions play in asylum-seeking and refugee education.

Infectious disease screening outcomes and reducing barriers to care for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children: a single-centre retrospective clinical analysis

ObjectiveEvaluate the Unity Clinic’s infectious disease screening programme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), calculate rates of infection and identify further health needs.DesignRetrospective audit of electronic patient data.Setting and patientsUASC who...