Unaccompanied Migrant Research Articles

Characteristics and Views of Young Unaccompanied Migrants Transitioning to Independent Living in the Catalan (Spain) Protection System

AbstractIn Spain, unaccompanied migrant minors receive care provision from the government. This article analyzes the experience of unaccompanied young migrants in the protection system of Catalonia (Spain) and their preparation for the transition to independent living. A survey with 90 unaccompanied migrant youths who were about to leave care was conducted. The results show that many of the participants were in non-specific transitional housing placements (67.7%), with scarce opportunities for developing basic independent living skills. Moreover, 29.4% of young people were not aware of the existence of an emancipation plan, and 10.3% felt that they had not received any preparation for independent living. Although only 24.4% had completed secondary education or higher, the majority were enrolled in some form of training (82.2%). Nevertheless, most of the young people had had some paid unskilled work experience (83.3%) in their countries of origin. Despite this, when interviewed, only 10% of the participants were working, and their prospects for emancipation were challenging. Their main concerns were their legal status (40.2%), finding a job (41.4%), and finding a place to live once they reached legal age (34.2%). Moreover, the youths’ social support networks were very precarious: 43.5% could count on only one person or no one at all when they needed material support, and their main source of support was educators. Implications for social work practice are discussed.

Non-Formal Education for the Inclusion of Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Italy

The number of unaccompanied migrant children (UMC) that landed in Italy on a daily basis was 14,044 in 2022 and 18,820 in 2023 (as stated by the Italian Ministry of Interior). This research study examines Law 47/2017, which implements the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It ponders inclusive educational models other than formal learning by investigating non-formal education (NFE) that takes place outside formal learning settings, although in synergy with them, for personal and vocational fulfilment. By way of example, a particularly original case study on school children newly arrived in Italy from Ukraine in 2022 is reported herein. Thirty interviews were held in Italy for three years, from 2021 to 2023, with the people in charge of unaccompanied migrant children to investigate the integration actions implemented as well as the use of NFE. Novel data from the education and employment sectors were collected to fill some pre-existing gaps in the literature. The focus group conducted in 2023 with twelve volunteer tutors highlighted data and conclusions that can be cross-checked and generalised on the use of effective operating tools to identify European pathways to peace and democracy, which may be useful in forging new solidarity patterns.

Adaptative Skills and Global Functioning of Unaccompanied Migrant Minors in Europe: A Systematised Review.

This systematised review aimed to examine European literature reporting data about adaptative skills and global external functioning of unaccompanied minors (UAMs). We conducted a systematised screening of four databases (APA PsycINFO Ovid, Medline Ovid ALL, Embase.com and Web Of Science Core Collection) using a research strategy including social, scholarly and behavioural abilities as well as externalising problems associated with the target population of UAMs. Thirty articles were included using pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Our review showed that despite high levels of internalising disorders, socio-behavioural and educational adjustment of UAMs remained positive. It demonstrated how this population displays a strong desire for academic success and prosocial behaviours instead of aggressivity in everyday life. Nevertheless, our review drew attention to the strong tendency of UAMs to internalise their disorders and display chronic distress and problematic behaviours which increased with time spent in the host country. Our study draws attention to the risk of underestimating the real mental health needs of refugees, due to preserved external functioning combined with significant settlement pressures.

The Impact of Trauma and Intergenerational Trauma on Unaccompanied Migrant Youth

The Impact of Trauma and Intergenerational Trauma on Unaccompanied Migrant Youth

Unaccompanied Migrant Children in US Government Custody: 2014–2023

Between October 1, 2014, and March 1, 2023, the US Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) took custody of 568,890 unaccompanied migrant children. Drawing on a unique dataset that ORR produced in response to Freedom of Information Act requests and litigation, we provide the first comprehensive, long-term demographic study of the population of unaccompanied migrant children while in ORR custody. Our analysis reveals the children's differential treatment and experiences across time and demographic characteristics. We contextualize ORR's treatment of the children in its custody by identifying legal standards governing their care. We also examine how specific instances of legal, political, and social change in the United States correlate with fluctuations in the origin-based demographics of unaccompanied migrant children seeking refuge in the United States. Results highlight the differential treatment and intense uncertainty that unaccompanied migrant children face in the United States based on their age, gender, country and region of origin, ORR program placements, and discharge types.

The winding access to legal status for unaccompanied migrant minors in Spain

AbstractThis article analyses an inclusive and participatory approach to regularising ‘Non-Asylum Seeking Unaccompanied Migrant Minors’ in Spain. The terminology is multiple; in this paper, the choice has fallen on Unaccompanied Migrant Minors with the acronym UMMs instead of UAMs, to be consistent with the doctoral thesis already defended in 2021. The term UASC, specific to unaccompanied migrant minors seeking asylum, was excluded. To fully assess the process, it is necessary to account for the following factors shaping their administrative situation: (a) how they reach adulthood, (b) whether they are in regular or irregular situations, and (c) the waiting time for obtaining regularity status and citizenship. This article reviews the gap between perspectives of legal protection, good intentions, and political restrictions.The study has been carried out considering the results of qualitative research obtained through interviews with minors, staff members at reception centres, guardians, and immigration authorities. Particular attention is devoted to the limited number of resident permits granted to the UMMs. The methodology was enriched by desk research; most sources cited in the article are legal instruments and academic papers.The different dimensions of regularization are analysed by paying attention to (i) residence permits and political rights; (ii) the role of guardianship in administrative regularization; and (iii) vulnerability related to the legal status of unaccompanied migrant minors. A comprehensive assessment is carried out based on children's rights and the social, institutional, and organizational contexts, as well as considering the policies which condition the protection milieu concerning migrant children and the practices at both general and operative levels.

The well-being of unaccompanied migrant children: Between dreams and reality

The phenomenon of unaccompanied migrant children, though global, has important territorial and social context differences. The objectives of this study were: (i) to analyze the arrivals of unaccompanied children in Catalonia by age, sex and country of origin, (ii) to know crucial aspects related to the family and school background, (iii) to analyze their emotional well-being and life satisfaction, and (iv) to gain an insight into their perception of the barriers, opportunities and their rights during their stay in the child protection system (residential care). Regarding the first objective, a secondary analysis of the official database was carried out for the period 2015; for the second and third objectives, a questionnaire was administered to 811 unaccompanied migrant adolescents; and for the fourth, four focus groups were organized with young unaccompanied migrants living in residential centers. The main findings pointed to significant differences according to country of origin. Significant differences also existed in terms of emotional and life satisfaction, depending on country of origin, urban or rural background, sex, and above all, length of stay in the new setting. All the factors analyzed have implications for professional practice to support and protect unaccompanied migrant children and promote their autonomy, with an emphasis on the need to incorporate a gender perspective.

The Situation of Unaccompanied Migrant Minors and Young People in Shelters and Protection Centers in Andalusia (Spain)

ABSTRACT This article aims to determine the situation of unaccompanied immigrant minors and young people in reception and protection centers for children in Andalusia, Spain. The study design is qualitative exploratory. The fieldwork was carried out in three provinces of Andalusia and involved interviews and focus groups with minors and young people in shelters and protection centers. The results show the participants’ perception of the care they receive in the centers. Situations of conflict between minors and professionals, disputes generated by cultural differences, lack of quality food, and cases of violence, among other issues, are the experiences reported by those interviewed. The research concludes that there is a need for more significant work inspections in reception and protection centers and more excellent proximity to urban environments that help social inclusion.

Persistence of Emotional Distress in Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Adolescents Primarily From the Northern Triangle of Central America

In the US, unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents (hereinafter referred to as children) are predominantly from Central America's Northern Triangle. While unaccompanied migrant children are at high risk for psychiatric sequelae due to complex traumatic exposures, longitudinal investigations of psychiatric distress after resettlement are lacking. To identify factors associated with emotional distress and longitudinal changes in emotional distress among unaccompanied migrant children in the US. For this retrospective cohort study, the 15-item Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15) was administered between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019, to unaccompanied migrant children as part of their medical care to detect emotional distress. Follow-up RHS-15 results were included if they were completed before February 29, 2020. Median follow-up interval was 203 days (IQR, 113-375 days). The study was conducted in a federally qualified health center that provides medical, mental health, and legal services. Unaccompanied migrant children who completed the initial RHS-15 were eligible for analysis. Data were analyzed from April 18, 2022, to April 23, 2023. Traumatic events before migration, during migration, during detention, and after resettlement in the US. Emotional distress, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, as indicated by the RHS-15 (ie, score ≥12 on items 1-14 or ≥5 on item 15). In total, 176 unaccompanied migrant children completed an initial RHS-15. They were primarily from Central America's Northern Triangle (153 [86.9%]), were mostly male (126 [71.6%]), and had a mean (SD) age of 16.9 (2.1) years. Of the 176 unaccompanied migrant children, 101 (57.4%) had screen results above the positive cutoff. Girls were more likely to have positive screen results than boys (odds ratio, 2.48 [95% CI, 1.15-5.34]; P = .02). Follow-up scores were available for 68 unaccompanied migrant children (38.6%). On the follow-up RHS-15, most scored above the positive cutoff (44 [64.7%]). Three-quarters of unaccompanied migrant children who scored above the positive cutoff initially continued to have positive scores at follow-up (30 of 40), and half of those with negative screen scores initially had positive scores at follow-up (14 of 28). Female vs male unaccompanied migrant children (unstandardized β = 5.14 [95% CI, 0.23-10.06]; P = .04) and initial total score (unstandardized β = 0.41 [95% CI, 0.18-0.64]; P = .001) were independently associated with increased follow-up RHS-15 total score. The findings suggest that unaccompanied migrant children are at high risk for emotional distress, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. The persistence of emotional distress suggests that unaccompanied migrant children would benefit from ongoing psychosocial and material support after resettlement.

Addressing the Surge in Unaccompanied Migrant Children

Unaccompanied migrant children (UMC) account for a growing share of apprehensions along the US-Mexico border. Contrary to past UMC flows, which were primarily comprised of older youth fleeing violence in Mexico, recent UMC flows include children of all ages escaping life-threatening conditions in Central America's Northern Triangle. To manage the growing influx of UMC, the Biden Administration established surge facilities, which rely on emergency standards to house and care for the children. We show that surge facilities created capacity in traditional shelters, enabling them to accommodate tender-age children and reducing the number of children in foster care.

Art-thérapies et Mineurs Non Accompagnés : indications, dispositifs et efficacités

IntroductionThe global context has resulted in an increase in migration of certain populations who seek protection and/or a hope for a better future. Whether for economic, social or political reasons, inhabitants sometimes hastily leave their country in order to find refuge elsewhere. Some minors take the path of exile alone and cross borders and seas to reach France: they then respond to the French designation of Unaccompanied Minors (MNA). Their migratory journey is long and perilous, a source of trauma. Their physical and mental health is impaired. Upon their arrival in France, they present significant post-traumatic symptomatology: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, disorders with somatic symptomatology. Psychologists and psychotherapists working with them find themselves in a complicated position with many pitfalls: the need for an interpreter, the representations of the psychologist, or even the absence of a request for support. Psychological care becomes even more complex. MethodA review of the literature indicates the effectiveness of art therapy in treating migrant children and adolescents accompanied by their families. Art therapy is particularly useful to help migrant minors to experience physical and psychological relief, to express their feelings, their emotions, to reduce their sense of isolation, to develop their creativity and to begin a process of acculturation. In this article we have chosen to present three studies that demonstrate the effects of art therapy on these accompanied migrant children. As these studies show, art therapy has many benefits for these subjects: reduction of symptoms linked to PTSD such as anxiety, depression and development, among other things, of self-esteem, self-confidence and resilience and many others. AnalysisThis study allows us to highlight the relevance of designing effective and protocolized art therapy treatment programs for unaccompanied minors. ResultsIn the case of Unaccompanied Migrant Minors, a very limited number of studies are beginning to consider art therapy as an essential part of the psychotherapeutic process for these subjects. We also present three such studies whose results complete and confirm those from studies concerning accompanied migrant children. ConclusionTo conclude, it seems that art therapy is a practice that must find its place among the essential tools of field practitioners working with Unaccompanied Minors. Working with adolescents who are in physical, administrative and psychological limbo, art therapy would make it possible to overcome certain pitfalls and open up a number of possibilities, to reinforce their resilience and to re-actualize their creative potential.

Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Chile: State of the Art

This article aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the situation regarding unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents in the Latin American region, focusing on Chile. This intricate and evolving phenomenon encompasses adolescents who have experienced precarious circumstances and rights violations, resulting in a diverse and complex group. Previously documented primarily at the borders of the Global North, this study examines the case of Chile, where, between 2018 and 2021, there was a notable increase in the entry of unaccompanied children and adolescents through unauthorized crossings. These individuals migrate either alone or in unconventional groups, such as migrant caravans, youth collectives, or even with pets. The article presents data regarding the context of their arrival, explores relevant theoretical and conceptual foundations concerning unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and their agency, and concludes with a critical analysis of the actions taken by the state in response to this situation.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Health Impact on Unaccompanied Migrant Children.

From the point of apprehension by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the U.S.-Mexican border to their reunification with sponsors in U.S. communities, unaccompanied children (UC) face political, social, and economic conditions, heightening their risk for mental and physical health burdens that may be exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such risk underscores the importance of social work practice and advocacy for the improved treatment and experiences of UC. This article uses a structural vulnerability conceptual lens to summarize the existing literature regarding UC and argues that UC's liminal immigration status, economic precarity, and lack of healthcare access place this group at high structural vulnerability during the pandemic. Further, this article identifies and describes three contexts of structural vulnerability of UC that are important points of social work intervention: (1) at the border, where migrant children are denied their legal right to seek protection; (2) in detention and shelter facilities; and (3) during reunification with sponsors. This article concludes with important practice and policy opportunities for social workers to pursue to obtain social justice for an important and highly vulnerable migrant child population.

Child Maltreatment & Child Migration: Abuse Disclosures by Central American and Mexican Unaccompanied Migrant Children

While gang violence, community violence, and domestic violence have been recognized as contributing factors to Central American migration, less is known about the intersection between child maltreatment and migration. This article uses secondary data from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) interviews with unaccompanied minors from Central America and Mexico to examine child maltreatment. It provides information on the abused children, their abusers, and the questions that led to their disclosure of maltreatment. It finds that girls reported maltreatment at higher rates than boys; only girls in this sample reported sexual abuse and intimate partner violence; and boys experienced physical abuse more than any other form of maltreatment. Overall, girls experienced all forms of abuse at higher rate than boys. Fewer than half of this sample described maltreatment as an explicit reason for migration, even those who viewed it as a type of suffering, harm or danger. In addition, some disclosures suggest that childhood transitions, such as in housing, schooling, or work status, warrant further inquiry as a potential consequence of or contributor to maltreatment. The article recommends that professionals engaged with migrant children in social services, legal services, or migration protection and status adjudications should inquire about maltreatment, recognizing that children may reveal abuse in complex and indirect ways. Protection risks within the home or family environment may provide the grounds for US legal immigration protections, such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) or asylum. Practitioners working with unaccompanied migrant children should use varied approaches to inquire about home country maltreatment experiences. Maltreatment may be part of the context of child migration, whether or not it is explicitly mentioned by children as a reason for migration. Policy Recommendations US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) should update SIJS regulations to reflect changes in the law, and modify application procedures to incorporate research knowledge on the impact of trauma on children. The US Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Justice (DOJ), and Health and Human Services (HHS), should ensure that all children in immigration proceedings receive legal representation through public-private partnerships overseen by the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Passage of Senate Bill 3108, the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2021, 1 would at least guarantee legal representation for unaccompanied minors. Codify legal standards (via USCIS regulation, or Congressional statute) for granting asylum based on gender and gender-based violence, and include standards for children and youth. Adjudicators from USCIS, Asylum Offices, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) should consider new information about painful, traumatic, or shame-inducing experiences—such as child maltreatment—as part of the gradual process of disclosure, rather than negatively reflecting on the credibility of the applicant. Federal agencies with immigration responsibilities such as USCIS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and ORR, should be included in the federal government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Interagency Task Force for Trauma-Informed Care. These agencies should require new trainings for immigration adjudicators, including immigration judges, asylum officers, Border Patrol agents, and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers, on interviewing and making decisions related to children. Legal service providers should adopt a holistic approach to service provision that includes social workers as part of the child’s legal team.

Shifting Vulnerabilities: Exploring Experiences of Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Johannesburg, South Africa

This paper draws on research on independent child migrants from Zimbabwe conducted in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, in challenging the dominant narratives that inform the vulnerability and agency dichotomy in childhood studies. Through in-depth interviews, observations and a life histories approach, the daily experiences of the young people selected for participation in this study (between the ages of 13 and 19 years) highlight the shortcomings of the vulnerability and agency lens in capturing the nuances of independent child migrants. I challenge the idea that children are passive, vulnerable and incapable of defining and shaping their migration trajectories without overemphasising their agency. The intention is to show that children are not only passive victims at the mercy of adults, but are also capable aggressors in determining their experiences of migration. To capture this complexity, I coin the concept of “shifting vulnerabilities” and suggest that the vulnerability of the independent child migrants is always shifting and being shifted. These children are involved in social relationships as they make their journey to Johannesburg, which shapes and shifts their vulnerabilities. They meet people who make them feel and react in certain ways, and what they are experiencing are not always feelings of gratitude, but sometimes fear and pain. Even with the odds stacked against them in some of these relationships, the young people are not just docile players in this interaction, but they direct the outcome of these associations in creative ways.

Discretion-as-Politics in Immigration Processes: The Case of Unaccompanied Migrant Children in the US

Trump administration’s anti-immigration measures affected dramatically the lives of unaccompanied migrant children (unaccompanied minors-UAMs) at the Southern border. This article investigates how and the extent to which the ‘discretionary power’ of immigration officials served the political objective of obstructing UAMs’ prospects of immigration relief. By drawing on qualitative empirical data, this article finds that border officials and the Attorney General employed ‘discretion-as-politics’ to block UAMs’ prospects of regularizing their immigration status in the US, which was consistent with the political agenda of the Trump administration.

Unaccompanied migrant minors in Europe and U.S.: A review of psychological perspective and care challenges

Unaccompanied migrant minors are youth under the age of 18 who migrate alone, traveling separately from both parents. These youth may be asylum seekers, recognized refugees, or other externally displaced persons. Unaccompanied migrant minors have become an increasingly prevalent global issue. However, this phenomenon might be better understood considering the peculiarities of their contexts, since there are differences related to specific conditions and reception systems. The present study reviewed and compared visually previously reported psychological perspective of unaccompanied migrant minor receiving services from select European countries and the U.S. Unaccompanied migrant minors create a challenge on a nation’s care system because these minors are the most vulnerable group in the context of migration. Our explorative assessment suggested underlining similarities and differences between contexts, reflecting the unique needs of the unaccompanied migrants and proposed services and intervention models.

Unaccompanied Migrant Children’s Rights: A Prerequisite for the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals in Spain and Sweden

Starting from a child rights-based approach to sustainable development, this contribution underlines and compares the discourses in selected Spanish and Swedish migration and education policies on the rights of unaccompanied minors to education and discusses their impact on the enactment of the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals in both countries. Based on critical discourse analysis, this research shows the co-existence of two different discourses: one on unaccompanied minors as global rights holders and the other on unaccompanied minors as foreign citizens. By describing unaccompanied migrant minors as citizens rather than children, international migration agreements make it possible for the Spanish and Swedish governments to deprioritize other international agreements on refugees’ rights, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 2030 Agenda. Furthermore, as child rights and sustainable development are mutually reinforcing, the negotiation of rights shows that there are obstacles to accomplishing rights-based Sustainable Development Goal 4 in the 2030 Agenda.

Whose Children? Protecting Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Europe: A Case of Diffused Responsibility?

Abstract This paper examines the reasons behind the failure of EU and national policy interventions to protect unaccompanied migrant children’s (unaccompanied minors – uams) rights during the refugee crisis in Europe. By drawing on policy documents and empirical data, it is argued that the deficient protection of uam s’ child rights was essentially a failure of responsibility allocation in line with the “bystander effect” analytical explanation. While this argument does not disregard the role of other explanatory factors, such as the lack of European solidarity, poor legal enforcement and financial reasons, among others, it is claimed that the diffusion of responsibility (in theory and practice) between various policy systems at the national level, as well as between the EU and domestic levels, contributed to the failure to protect uam s’ child rights across Europe.

Development and validation of a questionnaire to assess Unaccompanied Migrant Minors' needs (AEGIS-Q).

While many studies focus on specific aspects of Unaccompanied Migrant Minors' (UMMs) health, especially mental well-being, there is a lack of tools comprehensively assessing their needs. To fill this gap, we developed and validated a questionnaire to thoroughly assess unAccompaniEd miGrant mInorS' physical, psychological, legal, spiritual, social and educational needs (AEGIS-Q). This work consisted of three stages. The first one involved an extensive literature review. Given the results of the review, a first draft of the questionnaire was developed and submitted to a panel of experts for validation (Delphi method-second stage). During the third stage, the final version of the questionnaire was pilot-tested in a sample of 18 UMMs. The questionnaire, drafted based on the results of the review, consisted of sections covering personal data, migration profile, physical health needs and access to healthcare, psychological needs, legal needs, spiritual needs and educational and social needs of UMMs. After two Delphi rounds, the final version of the questionnaire, consisting of 83 questions, was structured. The pilot study had a response rate of 89-100%. We found substantial reliability for most of the sections in the questionnaire, including physical health (α=0.652), legal (α=0.781), and educational and social (α=0.614) needs. The questions regarding psychological needs had very high reliability (α=0.860). The questionnaire offers a useful sharable tool to assess and monitor UMMs' needs, helping the reception system to better know and meet their needs and implement the taking in charge.