Unaccompanied Refugee Children Research Articles

During the chaos of war: US adoptions and risks for unaccompanied Ukrainian refugee children

The adoption of Ukrainian children, by US citizens, is examined as the Ukrainian government ceases adoptions of children during the chaos of war. Intercountry adoption dynamics are presented with data from 2021, prior to the conflict in 2022. Then, the situation regarding child rights and the official Ukrainian government position are considered. Implications for guardianship and foster care of unaccompanied refugee minors are presented along with other critical risks to Ukrainian children living in another country. Implications for social work practice are concluded and child rights advocacy is encouraged as a macro intervention.

Unheard voices: The living reality of unaccompanied refugee children in Jordan

BackgroundUnaccompanied refugee children are highly susceptible to challenging living conditions, as they lack the presence of biological caregivers. This study addresses a critical gap in the existing literature, providing valuable insights into a vulnerable population that has been relatively understudied. Moreover, understanding the specific circumstances and difficulties faced by unaccompanied refugee children in Jordan can inform the development of more effective support systems and policies. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the lived experiences of unaccompanied refugee children in Jordan and shed light on their unique challenges and needs. Participants and settingSixteen unaccompanied refugee children residing in Jordan were purposefully selected as participants for the study. They were selected based on accessibility and permission from the responsible entity. The limited number of participants (16) reflects the challenges associated with accessing this group and the need to prioritize their privacy and confidentiality. MethodsTo achieve this goal, a qualitative research approach was employed. Semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection method in the study, allowing participants to share their experiences and perspectives in their own words. The collected data were analyzed using the inductive thematic analysis method. Steps were taken to prioritize the well-being and rights of the participants, including obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and providing psychosocial support when needed. ResultsThe study revealed three primary forms of alternative care provided to unaccompanied refugee children in Jordan: foster families, supervised groups, and institutional care. These findings shed light on the challenges faced by children in each of these care settings. The research unveiled that these children often experience various forms of abuse and violations. ConclusionsUnaccompanied refugee children face numerous challenges and difficulties in destination countries. In light of the study's findings, several crucial recommendations emerge. First, there is an urgent need to strengthen the foster care system in Jordan while ensuring rigorous oversight to safeguard their rights. Moreover, policymakers should prioritize the provision of cost-free, high-quality healthcare and unhindered access to free education for these children.

“Children don’t think about these things”: Qualitative research on the relationship views and experiences of former unaccompanied refugee children

Αlthough unaccompanied refugee minors have sadly been and still are a part of the movements observed worldwide of hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing persecution, violence and war, there seems to be limited research on their relationships from their viewpoint. The present study explored the relationship experiences of former unaccompanied refugee children (now older adults). During the Greek civil war (1944–1949) thousands of children between the ages of three to 14 were taken from their villages in Greece and settled as unaccompanied refugees in institutions in countries of the former Eastern Bloc. The research sought to gain a rich understanding of their views and experiences regarding personal relationships. Nine older adults (8 men and 1 woman), who were separated from their families when they were younger than 10 years of age, were interviewed. Their narratives were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The themes that emerged from the analysis demonstrated that attachment ties to their parents were severely affected by separation raising questions as regards the existence of attachment representations, the importance of relationships seemed generally undermined, while the role of peers was accentuated. The participants’ resilience and coping mechanisms are also discussed.

Governing resettlement beyond safety: Multilevel governance as a model for sustainable resettlement of unaccompanied refugee children in rural Sweden?

AbstractThis article explores the sustainability of the resettlement of unaccompanied refugee children from their perspective. Against the backdrop of a critical assessment of the multilevel governance of resettlement, it compares two rural municipalities. Unaccompanied refugee children in the municipality with a disempowering local governance model were hindered to engage with civil society, while in the municipality with an enabling model, their integration was enhanced. Achieving safety by legal residency does not by itself resolve the liminalities of belonging to unaccompanied refugee children. Beyond positive engagement by professionals, supporting encounters with civil society were found to enhance integration and belonging, while the lack of these strengthened marginalities. Unaccompanied refugee children resettlement is largely influenced by the benevolence of local actors when the state vacates its responsibility to co‐ordinate efforts. While civil society has an important role to play, a helping civil society cannot be assumed. Tensions rose also due to the collision between institutional styles. The marketisation of refugee reception at the national level led to loss of ability to plan schooling in rural municipalities, reinforcing practices of physical and symbolic segregation of children in the refugee context education. These accounts shed also light on the resilience of unaccompanied refugee children encountering local resettlement efforts emerging in the context of increasingly securitised asylum policies.

Avaliação cognitiva em crianças refugiadas desacompanhadas: uma revisão sistemática

This study aims to identify what existing literature has shown about possible cognitive alterations in unaccompanied refugee children. The search was performed in the Web of Science, PsycInfo, Scopus, and PubMed databases, including articles published in any year and in any language. The research was submitted to the Prospero protocol (ID: CRD42021257858), and the quality of the included articles was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Memory and attention are the main topics identified, largely because they are related to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. However, low specificity was observed in the conduction of cognitive assessments, leading to relevant inconsistencies in the collected data. The use of psychological assessment instruments that are either poorly adapted or not adapted at all to the populations studied casts doubt on the validity of the data produced so far.

Same but different: meaning-making among refugee and non-refugee youths

Purpose There is substantial research on the experiences, needs and well-being of unaccompanied refugee adolescents, but less is known about existential aspects of their lives. The purpose of the current study is to explore existential meaning-making among unaccompanied refugee children. Design/methodology/approach The informants in this study are young unaccompanied refugees (n = 30) living in Norway, and young Norwegians (n = 46). The authors undertook a secondary analysis of in-depth qualitative refugee interview data and a quantitative analysis of questionnaire data from Norwegian informants. Findings Both the refugee youths and the Norwegian youths expressed that social relationships and connections to others were most important for meaning. Moreover, both groups emphasized the importance of relatedness and generativity, i. e. commitment to worldly affairs beyond one’s immediate needs. The main differences between the two groups were related to the significance attached to religion and to loneliness. Research limitations/implications The comparison between the two groups is only possible to some degree. Secondary analyses have some limitations, as well as strengths. Practical implications The findings may be useful for supporting young refugees, as they provide insights into less-studied aspects of their lives. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in the focus on and broad interpretation of meaning, of secondary data analyses, and of comparisons between youths that are refugees versus non-refugees.

Perspectives of unaccompanied refugee children, their foster carers and guardians on placement success: Which factors predict multi-informant discrepancies?

This study examined multi-informant discrepancies (between child, carer, and guardian perspectives) regarding placement success of 39 foster placements, as well as possible factors associated with these discrepancies. We also examined whether these discrepancies in placement success at baseline measurement (T0) are related to placement breakdown at second measurement (T1). The results showed that when placements are rated with a high average placement success score (looking at child-carer and child-guardian dyads), the child and carer, as well as the child and guardian generally agree on the success of the foster placement, showing low discrepancy. In contrast, placements with a low average score on placement success show large discrepancies between the perspectives, which may also lead to breakdown. Results of the multilevel analyses showed that discrepancies regarding placement success were mainly associated with differences in perspectives regarding fostering factors (i.e., quality of the caregiving environment, child-carer and child-guardian relationship) and child factors (i.e., conduct problems, emotional problems). The results indicate that children and their carers or guardians disagree more on the success of the placement if they disagree on the quality of the caregiving environment, the child's conduct and emotional problems, and the quality of the child-carer and child-guardian relationship. The outcomes of our study might be especially helpful for guardians in shaping their guidance practices.

14.L. Workshop: Determinants of family mental health

Abstract Over the past decade, the demographic composition of the population is rapidly changing. This has a huge impact on family members, especially on youth (10-25years). Youth is a formative period in which young people might be especially vulnerable. Multiple physical, emotional and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems. Promoting psychological well-being and protecting youth from adverse experiences and risk factors that may impact their potential to thrive in later life are critical for their mental health not only during adolescence but also in adulthood. Supportive environments in the family, in the wider community and at a global level are important. Multiple factors determine mental health outcomes in youth. Violence (including wars and conflicts, child abuse and harsh parenting), and socioeconomic problems are risks to mental health of youth. In order to address the mental health needs of vulnerable youth and families with youth, increasing knowledge about factors influencing mental health in this age group is imperative. This international workshop will be focused on addressing mental health issues of families and youth. The presentations will focus on 1) self-identified mental problems in a rural area of Germany (Marta Natan); 2) the factors associated with child abuse and the consequences of child abuse in a representative sample from Norway (Gertrud Sofie Hafstad); 3) transit experiences and mental health of unaccompanied refugee children (Ilse Derluyn) and 4) suicidal behaviour and violence among young people (Marija Jakubauskiene). Key messages Determinants of youth mental health can be identified to address common mental disorders in youth. Youth and family mental health cannot be fully addressed without the dignity that is upheld by human rights.

Cultural matching factors, child factors and fostering factors associated with successful foster placement: An explorative study into the perspectives of unaccompanied refugee children, their foster carers and guardians

Abstract This paper presents findings from the baseline measurement of a longitudinal Dutch study focusing on cultural matching, child and fostering factors associated with the success of foster placements of unaccompanied refugee children. We assessed the placement from the perspectives of the children, their foster carers and their guardians. The children (n = 39) and their carers (n = 37) were visited at their homes, where they completed several questionnaires (e.g. SDQ, BIC, SLE, RATS, AHIMSA and questionnaires measuring bio/demographic variables, placement success and characteristics of the placement, including cultural characteristics). The guardians (n = 37) were asked to complete a digital questionnaire. The success of the placement was analysed using logistic regression models. The quality of the relationship between child and foster carer(s) exhibited an almost one-to-one relationship with ‘placement success’, for both the child model and the foster carer model. This means that one could also investigate the quality of the relationship between the child and carer to determine placement success. The regression analyses showed that, for children, cultural similarity between a child and their carers was of great importance. However, for foster carers and guardians, cultural similarity was less related to placement success. In addition, a higher score on prosocial behaviour by the child (SDQ self-report) was associated with more positive outcomes regarding placement success (child model). For foster carers, children’s externalizing behaviour (SDQ) was negatively correlated with the success of the placement (foster carer model). For guardians, a higher score on the quality of the caregiving environment (BIC-G) was associated with placement success (guardian model). Implications for research and practice are also discussed.

Acceso al derecho de asilo de los niños, niñas y adolescentes no acompañados en México

Este artículo tiene la finalidad a estudiar los diferentes problemas, realidades y retos que enfrenta la niñez refugiada no acompañada en México para acceder al procedimiento de asilo en México. Sobre todo, cuando el fenómeno de la movilidad humana ha tenido gran relevancia en esta región de las Américas debido a las políticas actuales migratorias, las cuales tienden a darle mayor prioridad al tema de seguridad, que a los derechos humanos de los niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA) con indicios de desprotección internacional. Al respecto, se utilizará el método sistemático y de revisión bibliográfica, para analizar el problema del acceso al procedimiento de asilo de la niñez refugiada en México y, los retos que enfrentan en cuanto a sus derechos humanos. Esta propuesta toma como referencia los planteamientos abordados desde la perspectiva del derecho internacional de los derechos humanos y del derecho de los refugiados.  

They ask for protection: An exploratory study into experiences with violence among unaccompanied refugee children in Dutch reception facilities

BackgroundChildren placed under governmental supervision and staying in residential or foster care are more vulnerable to violence than children who live with their own families. One specific group of children staying in reception facilities under governmental supervision comprises unaccompanied refugee children who have fled to a host country without their parents. ObjectiveThis qualitative study explores the experiences of unaccompanied children with regard to violence in reception facilities in the Netherlands from the perspective of the children. Participants and setting183 unaccompanied children (N = 183) sheltered in a variety of reception facilities in the Netherlands. MethodSemi-structured interviews were conducted focusing on several topics related to their perceived quality of life. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed for experiences with violence occurring inside the reception facilities. The codebook that was used was based on the categorization of maltreatment in the fourth United States National Incidence Study (NIS-4) and the interpretation of violence by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in General Comment No. 13 (GC 13). ResultsA large share (66 %) of the unaccompanied children had experienced violence in various reception facilities. Most of the experiences reported had to do with either physical and emotional abuse and neglect or institutional violence. ConclusionThe breadth of experiences of violence underlines the responsibility of the Dutch state to invest in the safe reception of unaccompanied children in order to protect their development, while also investing in further research on the prevalence of violence in the reception of unaccompanied children.

‘It can never be as perfect as home’: An explorative study into the fostering experiences of unaccompanied refugee children, their foster carers and social workers

Research shows that highly supportive living arrangements, such as foster care, can provide an environment that meets the needs of unaccompanied children (i.e. fewer internalizing problems, higher quality of the child-rearing environment). However, there is limited research into the experiences of these children in (cultural) foster care. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of former unaccompanied refugee children and unaccompanied refugee children, their carers and social workers with regard to the foster placement. This cross-sectional qualitative study combined semi-structured interviews with questionnaires. In general, participants were satisfied with the foster placement. However, some children also reported negative experiences during their foster placement or felt somewhat uncomfortable, but they still rated the placement as successful. Children and carers valued the cultural similarity of the foster placement. Former unaccompanied children appreciated cultural similarity less. Overall, participants valued similarity of language the most. Several children did not feel at home in their foster placement. In most foster families, the caregiving environment offered to children seemed adequate.

“I Never Want to Lose That Key”: <i>on school as an opportunity structure for unaccompanied refugee children in Sweden</i>

In recent years, a large number of refugee children have arrived in Sweden. In this article, 15 Afghan boys tell us about their normative longing for education and schooling (should), their experiences of school as an opportunity structure (being) and the resilience of their personal agency as regards succeeding in school (doing). Our empirical data indicate that, particularly thanks to the efforts of many individual teachers, the boys’ should, being and doing are connected and relatively strong. Nevertheless, school as an opportunity structure also entails challenges: an overly one-sided concentration on the Swedish language as well as frequent absence of multilingual classroom assistants, native language instruction, and inclusion. At the same time, the boys long for and work hard to achieve school success. Strong resilience is not individual, however; it works in connection with a preserved should and a strongly developed, activating being.

Problematising separated children: a policy analysis of the UK ‘Safeguarding Strategy: Unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children’

ABSTRACT While international and national policies, strategies and legislation have been designed to address the problems of forced displacement, they also form a vital role in the discursive construction, governance and regulation of those who have been displaced. This paper critically interrogates the ‘UK Safeguarding Strategy: Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children’ to highlight the ways in which unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) are implicitly constructed as a policy problem. Drawing on Foucault, and using a novel analytic method (WPR) for studying problematisation within policy, this paper moves beyond the policy definition of an unaccompanied asylum seeking child to unearth characterisations that the policy ascribes to this group of children, and in particular the conceptual boundaries established for the way society thinks about UASC. These conceptual boundaries are divisive in nature, including suspicion around routes of arrival to the UK; constructions of risk; and questions about the responsibility of providing care and of being in need of care. The significance of the paper lies in its aim to use the examination of the discursive practices of the UK’s Safeguarding Strategy as a starting point to open a broader discussion around how UASC are constructed and governed, nationally and internationally.

Board Games as Interview Tools: Creating a Safe Space for Unaccompanied Refugee Children

Since the emergence of the new sociology of childhood in the late 1980s, there has been an increasing expectation to engage children actively and to take their views seriously throughout the research process. This is even more important when it comes to unaccompanied refugee children, whose voice is seldom heard. In this article the author builds upon her project of exploring unaccompanied refugee children’s lived media experiences and argues that—in order to have meaningful results and to create safe spaces for those who need it most—we need to search beyond traditional research tools. Specifically, she proposes to bring into research the concept of “play”. The article presents the use of bespoke, artisanal board games in cross-national interview settings with unaccompanied refugee children. It is argued that these creative tools can help in collecting diverse and rich data that can successfully complement traditional research methods

Difficulties in Identifying Unaccompanied Refugee Children in Mixed Migration Flows: The Case of Mexico and Central America

This article aims to study and analyses the different problems, realities and challenges faced by children and adolescents that require international protection in the case of Mexico and Central America. This is due to the fact that the phenomenon of human mobility from a human rights perspective has not been a priority in the Americas region. On the contrary, this phenomenon is seen from a national security perspective, which causes that children and adolescents who require international protection are unnoticed as a result their human rights are easily attacked making them vulnerable. Due to international laws on refugees, this article proposes to find possible solutions to protect their human rights and rights recognized by refugee law. Firstly, the identification of unaccompanied refugee children and adolescents within the mixed migratory flows in the case of Mexico and Central America. Secondly, it also aims to find possible solutions to give them access to the asylum procedure as a result to protect their rights such as non-refoulement and the best interests of the child. Rights not only recognized by international refugee laws, but also by international human rights law, which are mandatory and part of the international obligations on those countries of study.

Exploring stigma and its effect on access to mental health services in unaccompanied refugee children.

Aims and methodDespite substantial evidence to show that unaccompanied refugee children suffer a high prevalence of mental illness, their access to services remains poor. One may hypothesise that this is associated with their negative perceptions of mental illness. However, there has been little research exploring this important subject. We aimed to explore unaccompanied refugee children's experiences, perceptions and beliefs of mental illness, focusing on stigma. Fifteen unaccompanied refugee children and 15 carers were interviewed by a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. RESULTS: Three main themes were identified, focusing mainly on issues of stigma related to mental health, mental illness and their treatment, and they were interpreted in detail.Clinical implicationsOur findings will contribute to current understanding of stigma and discrimination, and their effect on service engagement, and will hopefully stimulate interest to further explore this area and develop potential solutions.Declaration of interestNone.

O Princípio do Melhor Interesse e a nova Condição Jurídica de Crianças Refugiadas Separadas ou Desacompanhadas: uma abordagem sobre Brasil e Itália

O artigo pretende abordar o tratamento conferido por Brasil e Itália às crianças refugiadas separadas ou desacompanhadas, por meio de seus respectivos documentos normativos. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho apresenta, preliminarmente, o reconhecimento do sentimento de infância e a consolidação do princípio do melhor interesse da criança pela Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre Direitos da Criança de 1989. Além disso, trata da regulamentação do instituto do refúgio e sua aplicação aos menores de 18 (dezoito) anos. Posteriormente, busca demonstrar as inovações estabelecidas pela lei italiana nº47/2017 (Lei Zampa) e pela Resolução Conjunta de 09 de agosto de 2017 no Brasil, especificando os principais pontos regulamentados. Por fim, conclui-se que, apesar de haver, no ordenamento jurídico brasileiro, leis que abordem a temática do refúgio, há a necessidade de implementação de uma legislação específica que reconheça expressamente os direitos de crianças nessas condições, nos moldes do caso italiano. Para a elaboração deste estudo fora empregado o método de revisão bibliográfica, a partir da utilização de obras e artigos concernentes à literatura especializada nas áreas do Direito e da Ciência Política, bem como o método de análise de documentos oriundos de diversos órgãos nacionais e internacionais que versam sobre a temática exposta.

Civil Servants Talk Back – Political Subjectivity and (Re) Constructions of the Nation

This article discusses the emergence of political subjectivity and politicization among social workers and teachers. We present situations that have induced teachers and social workers to become politically active and examine what their struggle might imply for these unaccompanied children. We also ask how the nation state is interpellated and transformed. Drawing on Laclau, Mouffe and Biesta, we find that political subjectivity emerges in situations with conflicting norms and contradictory interpellations. When Sweden deported unaccompanied refugee children, numerous social workers and teachers found themselves torn between acting as loyal civil servants or acting in accordance with their professional ethics. When representatives from this category emerge as political subjects directed at political change, the nation state becomes unstable and porous, creating possibilities for change.

School Nurses' Experiences Working With Unaccompanied Refugee Children and Adolescents: A Qualitative Study.

School nurses are one of the first health-care professionals to meet unaccompanied refugee children and adolescents and therefore have an important impact on health outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe school nurses' experiences working with unaccompanied refugee children and adolescents. Semistructured interviews were conducted with school nurses (n = 14) who worked with unaccompanied refugee children and adolescents. The interviews were analyzed via qualitative content analysis. The results fell into three themes: (a) knowledge of trauma-informed care, (b) knowledge of intercultural nursing, and (c) importance of self-awareness. School nurses require the development of tailor-made skills that focus on crisis, trauma, and cultural awareness to meet the complex needs associated with working with unaccompanied refugee children and adolescents.