Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children Research Articles

4.5-O3A qualitative evaluation study of the Sleep Project for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Kent, UK: listening to practitioners' experiences

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people (UASC) experience harrowing journeys to a destination country seeking safety and refuge. Once in the host country, adapting to life in reception centres, foster families or supported housing, brings further challenges. Sleep difficulties is a recurring issue identified by both practitioners and young people. Lack of sleep and disturbed sleep have negative health and social/educational impact on young people. In this paper, we present the evaluation study of a Sleep Project intervention for UASC. The multi-agency intervention was introduced to support newly-arrived UASC in the Kent region, where there was a rapid increase in numbers since 2015. The aim of the evaluation was to explore practitioner experiences by identifying benefits, challenges, examples of good practice and transferable knowledge during the project. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 18 practitioners. Verbatim data were analysed thematically according to Attride-Stirling’s (2001) model. Findings suggest that the project encouraged conversations to develop between practitioners and young people, and between the young people themselves, normalising the sleep difficulties. It helped practitioners to feel more confident and equipped with skills to talk to the young people about sleep and allowed them to become more empathetic, specific and person-centred. Significantly, they reported that the project allowed them to ‘look at the basics’, that is, practical help such as providing night lights and educating young people about factors that hamper a good night’s sleep, whilst they gained greater understanding and responsiveness as to why young people could struggle with sleep. This has been important in shifting practitioners’ perceptions, particularly those in educational roles, helping them to be more patient and supportive to young people struggling to get to lessons on time and to concentrate. We conclude with recommendations about sustainability of this work, the project’s legacy, and opportunities to transfer gained knowledge to practice with other vulnerable populations.

Mental health of unaccompanied asylum-seeking adolescents previously held in British detention centres.

To investigate whether the mental health of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) was negatively affected by having their ages disputed and being detained. Participants within this cross-sectional study were 35 UASC, aged between 13 and 17 when they were detained. Some years later, a team of child mental health professionals interviewed them to assess their current mental health and to determine, as far as possible, the impact that having their age disputed and being detained may have had on their mental health. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV), Reactions of Adolescents to Traumatic Stress (RATS), Stressful Life Events (SLE) and Detention Experiences Checklist-UK version (DEC-UK) were administered. The vast majority of UASC reported being negatively affected. Based on diagnostic interviews using the SCID-IV, self-report measures and contemporaneous records, the professionals reported a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) developing in 29% ( n = 10), PTSD exacerbated in 51% ( n = 18), major depressive disorder (MDD) developing in 23% ( n = 8) and MDD exacerbated in 40% ( n = 14). A total of 3 years post-detention, 89% ( n = 31) met diagnostic criteria for psychiatric disorders and reported high PTSD symptoms. There was a high prevalence of psychiatric disorder. The additional stress of age dispute procedures and detention was judged to have been harmful.

Incidence of psychiatric disorders among accompanied and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Denmark: a nation-wide register-based cohort study.

One in four asylum applicants in Europe are children, and 23% of whom are unaccompanied and may be at increased risk of mental illness. This study contributes to the limited evidence base by comparing the incidence of psychiatric disorders among unaccompanied and accompanied refugee children. We linked a cohort of refugee children who obtained right of residency in Denmark between 01 January 1993 and 31 December 2010 to the Danish Psychiatric Central Register, and calculated incidence rates per 100,000 person years and incidence rate ratios of overall psychiatric disorder, psychotic disorders, affective disorders, and neurotic disorders for accompanied and unaccompanied minors using Poisson regression. We adjusted the analyses for sex, age at residency, and age at arrival (aIRR). Stratified analyses were conducted by nationality. Unaccompanied minors had significantly higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 1.38, 95% CI 1.14-1.68) and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 1.67, 95% CI 1.32-2.13) than accompanied minors. Among children from Afghanistan, unaccompanied minors had significantly higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 2.23, 95% CI 1.26-3.93) and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 3.50, 95% CI 1.72-7.11). Among children from Iraq, unaccompanied minors had higher rates of any psychiatric disorder (aIRR: 2.02, 95% CI 1.18-3.45), affective disorders (aIRR: 6.04, 95% CI 2.17-16.8), and neurotic disorders (aIRR: 3.04, 95% CI 1.62-5.70). Unaccompanied children were found to experience a higher incidence of any psychiatric disorder and neurotic disorders. Strategies are needed to address the specific mental health and social needs of unaccompanied minors.

Mutual benefits: The lessons learned from a community based participatory research project with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and foster carers

This paper presents a community based participatory research project, which adopted a photovoice approach with seven unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) living in foster care in the United Kingdom. The project also included a focus group with six foster carers to explore their perceptions of caring for UASCs. At the end of the focus group we then shared the young people's images from the photovoice project. The purpose of this was to better inform the carers understanding of this group's needs and the reality of their lived experiences, to see if this would have any impact on their perceptions or willingness to offer these children a placement in the future. The young people then developed the photographs into posters, which were shown at community events and exhibited in community spaces during refugee week.Findings from the focus group show that some of these carers had anxieties and held misconceptions around caring for UASCs. This highlights the need for practitioners to engage in open conversations with foster carers, to discuss their perceptions and challenge any misconceptions. Furthermore, the project identified that some of these carers were concerned about being able to meet the cultural needs of the young people. Foster carers also seemed unaware of the available support in place to help with this. Therefore, it would be beneficial for foster care services and practitioners to ensure that carers are fully informed of the support and training available to them to assist in meeting UASCs cultural, religious and linguistic needs. The project also presents important lessons for researchers committed to finding ways to engage UASCs meaningfully in the research process. The action orientated approach of photovoice led to a wide range of public engagement activities, that allowed us to show important aspects of the young people's lived realities growing up in foster care.

‘Colour-evasiveness’ and racism without race: the disablement of asylum-seeking children at the edge of fortress Europe

This article explores discriminatory discourses articulated by Italian professionals operating in educational, health and social services for refugees in Rome, in relation to the educational and social inclusion of unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children. It locates such narratives within the historical ‘concealment and invisibilisation of race and racism’ that have characterised Italy particularly since the end of the Second World War, while showing how they legitimate contemporary processes of disablement and over-representation of forced migrant children in the category of Special Educational Needs. A theoretical framework influenced by Dis/ability Critical Race Studies, Italian postcolonial studies, and Judith Butler’s notions of subjectivation and performative politics is used to discuss how a ‘colour-evasive’ racial ideology has seeped into various institutions in Italian society, and importantly into education policies and practices.

Outsourcing the ‘best interests’ of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the era of austerity

ABSTRACTThis article examines the governance of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) and former UASC in the U.K. and reveals the expanding reach of asylum privatisation to unaccompanied children. In the process, the principle of the ‘best interests of the child’ enshrined in international and national law is being reconfigured through practices of service outsourcing and out-of-county placement that are used to distance local authorities from their statutory responsibilities. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative data on the distribution and circumstances of UASC and in-depth qualitative interviews with service providers, we identify three intertwining processes that contribute to redefining ‘best interests’: first, the increasing distance in goals and priorities of managers and frontline workers is exacerbated by the emergence of new actors operating within the for-profit sector; second, decisions based on budget saving goals lead to young people being moved around the country and undermining their capacity to access support; third, restructuring and mainstreaming services for UASC misplace the expertise needed in this complex area. As a result of these processes, spaces for resisting such changes are increasingly restricted and ‘best interests’ are reshaped in ways which frontline workers think may be detrimental to the well-being of children and young people.

A review of adolescent autobiographical memory and the implications for assessment of unaccompanied minors' refugee determinations.

The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) is increasing, and unlike those who arrive with their parents, UASC are subject to interview to determine refugee status. The limited amount of objective evidence available in most asylum claims means that the UASC's account of their experiences often becomes key in deciding whether or not the young person is granted protection. Research indicates that assumptions about human memory influence decision-makers' views on asylum seekers' accounts; however, these do not necessarily appear to fit with the published research on autobiographical memory and may lead to an unfair decision. Therefore, understanding the nature and limitations of autobiographical memory is key to a fair refugee determination process. A literature review of published research on autobiographical memory among adolescents was undertaken across four databases. In total, 45 papers were identified which were thematically organised into three areas: development of autobiographical memory, contextual influences and impact of psychopathology. From this review, conclusions are drawn about what can be reasonably expected of an adolescent's autobiographical memory generally and more specifically when the unique characteristics of UASC are taken into account. We also discusss how commonly used credibility indicators in refugee status determinations for minors are problematic in light of this research. It is important that the psychological evidence on the nature of autobiographical memory in adolescents is considered in asylum processing of UASC.

The association between social support and the mental health of social workers and police officers who work with unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children’s forced repatriation: A Swedish experience

ABSTRACTThis study aims to contribute to the knowledge of social support and its association with mental health amongst social workers and police officers in forced repatriation work of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children. Nationally distributed surveys to social workers and police officers with and without experience of forced repatriation were used, measured by an abbreviated version of the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction (ISSI), and analyzed by univariate and multivariable regression models. Social workers in forced repatriation showed significantly poorer mental health than other social workers, but simultaneously relatively high access to social support. Irrespective of working with forced repatriation, police officers reported relatively high access to social support, but no difference in mental health. Furthermore, low levels of satisfaction with social interaction and close emotional support increased the odds of psychological disturbances for police officers in forced repatriation. Findings are discussed with special regard to the complexity of forced repatriation, particularly when children are the focus.

A controlled early group intervention study for unaccompanied minors: Can Expressive Arts alleviate symptoms of trauma and enhance life satisfaction?

This is the first controlled study of an expressive arts group intervention with unaccompanied minor asylum seeking children. The aim of the study was to examine whether such an intervention may alleviate symptoms of trauma and enhance life satisfaction and hope. One hundred forty five unaccompanied minor refugee boys with their stated age between 15 and 18 were allocated into a 10 session 5 weeks manualized expressive arts intervention (EXIT) or a life as usual (LAU) control group. The participants were assessed at onset and 4 times over a period of 25 months with a battery of instruments measuring post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), general psychological distress (HSCL-25A), current life satisfaction (CLS) and expected life satisfaction (ELS). The instruments were presented in the participants' native languages, using touch-screen laptops and the computer program Multilingual Computer Assisted Interview (MultiCASI). There were significant time by group interactions in favor of the EXIT group for PTSS and CLS. At the end of the follow up the EXIT group had higher life satisfaction and hope for the future than the LAU group. A manualized EXIT group intervention can have a beneficial effect on helping minor refugee boys to cope with symptoms of trauma, strengthen their life satisfaction and develop hope for the future. Our findings support previous studies showing that the arts may help people in reconstructing meaning and connection with others by focusing on resources and creativity.

The crc of Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers in Finland

According to the un Convention on the Right of a Child (crc), all children in Finland have the right to participate in decision-making concerning them. This article shows how the conceptualisation of childhood affects the implementation of the crc, especially Article 12 on participation, focusing on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Finland. Universalist notions of childhood and children’s participatory rights overlook the specific socio-historical realities in which these rights exist. Therefore, this article adopts an intersectional view, in which children are seen not as future adults or citizens but as current rights-holders, and acknowledges the complexity of children’s reality where ethnicity, gender and past experiences are interrelated with the conception of childhood. Based on participatory action research with 12 unaccompanied girls, this article shows that they have justified views on their rights during the asylum process, and that those views should be heard and acted upon.

Coping with Stress in the Forced Repatriation of Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Refugee Children among Swedish Police Officers and Social Workers

Police officers and social workers are key actors in the forced repatriation of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children. Police officers are tasked with arranging the children’s departure, whereas social workers are responsible for the children’s well-being during their stay in Sweden. To gain a better understanding of how to handle stressors and cope effectively with forced repatriation work, the current study aimed to describe and compare police officers’ and social workers’ coping strategies for forced repatriation work, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and social support. Nationally distributed surveys to social workers (n = 380) and police officers (n = 714) with and without experience of forced repatriation were used, analyzed by univariate and multivariable regression models. The police officers used more planful problem-solving and self-controlling strategies, whereas the social workers used more escape-avoidance, distancing and positive reappraisal coping. Additionally, social workers with experience in forced repatriation used more planful problem-solving than those without experience. Police officers involved in forced repatriation manage their work stress via adaptive coping strategies and control over the situation, whereas social workers use more maladaptive coping strategies. Concrete tools are needed at the individual level to strengthen key actors’ ability to support the well-being of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children.

Meeting needs of child refugees

Councils are struggling to cope with the rising number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, experts say

Telling the story: A psychological review on assessing adolescents’ asylum claims.

Asylum seekers are people who leave their country because of fear of persecution or organized violence and seek sanctuary in another country. The United Nations (UN) states that to be eligible for state protection someone must have,a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail him or herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution.(United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 1951) A refugee is thus recognized as eligible for state protection, if when considering all relevant facts, a receiving state judges that the person qualifies for protection (UNHCR, 1992). Asylum seekers are children or minors, as defined by Article 1 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as anyone below 18 years. This article addresses issues relating to unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC)-those who are unaccompanied by an adult. UASC are not subject to the same legal processes.UASC, like adult asylum seekers, often arrive in the resettlement country with little proof' or documentation and only have their account as a means of evidencing their claim to protection from further persecution. In the absence of hard through which to assess a claim, decision makers turn to more general indicators of the credibility of the applicants' claim. Credibility is the subjective judgment as to whether or not the source (i.e., the young person) is to be believed (Bruck, Ceci, & Hembrooke, 1998). For UASC, law and policy assert that their claims should be assessed cautiously with their age, maturity, and mental health in mind. Whilst such recommendations exist, there is little explanation on how this translates into the actual practice of assessing minors' claims. But how would a traumatized young person tell their story compared to someone who did not experience such trauma, but was sent away from home to avoid persecution or violence? Should we expect certain emotional responses from these young people? Despite the dearth of detail in asylum policy, the psychological literature can contribute to a better understanding of the issues concerning both the young asylum seeker and the decision maker.This article presents a review of psychological literature on adolescent development, autobiographical memory, and mental health and shows how they may affect a young person's account when seeking asylum. These are crucial areas of study as the way young asylum seekers speak about their experiences may influence whether the decision maker regards their account as credible, and thus whether they are more likely to be granted asylum or leave to remain. The article also presents research on judicial decision making and assumptions held about adolescents. In particular we consider how these affect the evidence a UASC presents and the way decision makers' assumptions and attitudes, rather than the evidence of the claim, might determine whether or not the young person's claim is believed. The review is based on consultation with experts in the field of UASC (including legal representatives, policymakers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and UNHCR employees), and review of the English language literature published in the past 25 years in the four main databases (PsychInfo, Medline, Embase, & JStor), then hand searching of relevant papers.Background to the UASC ExperienceThe numbers of unaccompanied minors currently seeking asylum across the world is increasing with reasons for leaving their home country commonly due to exposure to war, violence, sexual assault, or high levels of persecution (Thomas, Thomas, Nafees, & Bhugra, 2004). In addition, these young people have been separated from their caregivers either when leaving their home country or during their journey to seek refuge. It appears that the type of adverse events impacts psychopathology outcomes; exposure to violence and maltreatment increases vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder, and loss and ongoing stressors such as instability in living can lead to depression (Hodes, Jagdev, Chandra, & Cunniff, 2008). …

Sharing the asylum responsibility

Kent council warns scheme to disperse unaccompanied asylum-seeking children more evenly is not working

Medical and social issues of child refugees in Europe

In mid-2015, there were an estimated 20.2 million refugees in the world; over half of them are children. Globally, this is the highest number of refugees moving across borders in...

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the UK

Marianne Lagrue, project officer at Coram Children's Legal Centre, examines issues faced by unaccompanied asylum-seeking children

Councils face increased pressure to respond to child refugee crisis

Kent Council is struggling to cope with a major rise in the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children it is caring for, to the point where the government is preparing to force other authorities to share the burden

Leaving Care: Unaccompanied Asylum- Seeking Young Afghans Facing Return

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the United Kingdom approach adulthood knowing that they will be encouraged or even forced to return to their countries of birth. Drawing on a project that promoted voluntary return to Afghanistan, we use interviews with twelve young people, professionals working in the Home Office and in education, local authorities, and voluntary-sector agencies to describe a complex area of immigration policy. We show how the state’s obligations as “corporate parent” clash with increasingly punitive migration controls and with growing political scrutiny of public spending. We propose education as a way to prepare young people for futures as global citizens in either country of settlement or of origin.

Experiences of arriving to Sweden as an unaccompanied asylum-seeking minor from Afghanistan: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Objective: The number of individuals seeking refuge and safety in European and Western host-societies has increased in recent years and there is no evidence to suggest that this trend will reverse in the foreseeable future. Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and youth are particularly vulnerable to risk. The detrimental influence of political conflicts, war and forced migration on asylum-seeking individuals’ mental health is well-documented; however, the stressors encountered after arrival to the host-country have been investigated less frequently. This study explored how a group of six male refugees from Afghanistan experienced arriving to the Swedish host-society as unaccompanied minors, and how they perceived the support available to them. Methods: Based on individual semi-structured interviews, an interpretative phenomenological analysis was carried out to explore the perceived risks and protective factors during the first months and years in the host-society. Results: The qualitative findings draw attention to the crucial importance of clarifying the complex asylum-seeking process, the protective influence of social support, the importance of educational guidance, and participant’s strong desire to fit in and move forward with their lives. Conclusion: The resulting information can inform the practice of supporting asylum-seeking youths’ adaptation in host-societies and in developing assessment measures and interventions for these groups. Specifically, the results indicate the protective role of social support and highlight the potential value of mentoring schemes.

Collaboration patterns among Swedish professionals in the repatriation of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children: an explorative study

This study explores patterns of collaboration between Swedish professionals involved in the repatriation of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children. A qualitative case study methodology was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 20 statutory social workers, social workers at care homes, police officers, Swedish Migration Board officers, and legal guardians. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data. The results showed low levels of collaboration among the professionals and the use of different strategies by the professionals to manage their work tasks. Patterns were found among the professionals: some tended to isolate themselves from interaction and acted on the basis of personal preference, and others tended to behave sensitively, withdraw, and become passive observers rather than active partners in the repatriation process. These behaviours made it difficult for the relevant professionals to employ dignity and efficiency in the repatriation of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children.