Practitioner Points
- Ensure that CYP understand their entitlements and all processes from the outset so that they are always clear about what will happen next.
- Information needs to be provided in ways that are accessible and child-friendly, and in appropriate languages.
- Regularly follow up with CYP so they are informed of each step and not left wondering what is happening. Knowing what is happening can help CYP feel more in control, even if they are still waiting for decisions to be made.
- Use child-focused participatory planning processes to prepare for any change in location.
- Consider providing a journal to CYP so they can refer to this when they have doubts.
- In environments where CYP have little control and autonomy, choice is still possible and should be provided, even if only in small but meaningful ways, such as choice over clothes or food and opportunities to practise religion.
- Encourage older CYP to help other CYP. This can be through peer support and mentoring schemes, which can increase confidence and a sense of empowerment.
Resources
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How to convey child-friendly information to children in migration. A handbook for frontline professionals
Council of Europe (2018)
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Working in partnership with children on the move: Strategies and tools for meaningful participation
International Institute for Child Rights and Development in partnership with Destination Unknown (2022)
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Paths to inclusion. Training for community mentors: Communication, intercultural and social skills
International Organization for Migration (2021)
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Access to justice for migrant children. Training materials on access to justice for migrants
International Commission of Jurists (2021)
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'Your rights are always with you': A storytelling and crafts handbook
METAdrasi (2023)
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Asylum procedure in Germany explained for unaccompanied minors: your rights, your prospects (2023)
A booklet for unaccompanied minors to understand the asylum process and their rights in Germany. Available in 8 languages.
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Practical Application Examples
Provision of information
- Service providers facilitate the inclusion and informed participation of children in decision making and address barriers to participation by creating spaces and processes for children to engage in. This can be through developing and modifying care and development plans, using interactive child-focused planning tools and providing timely, current information in accessible and child-friendly formats.
- Short vlogs made by former refugees and posted on YouTube, TikTok and other social media platforms in the language of the unaccompanied children.
- Child-friendly booklets for refugee children on different subjects, with quotes and advice from child refugees (Jugendliche ohne Grenzen, 2017).
- Digital platforms that can be accessed by CYP to seek information, ask questions and connect with others. These vary from country to country. For example, in Italy, Refugee Info provides a WhatsApp number, Facebook page and a link to UNHCR's online information service.
Cultural mediation and independent counselling
The legal situation is often extremely complex and difficult for CYP to understand. In practice, they often depend on the advice and – importantly – the decisions taken by their guardians and custodians. Cultural mediators and independent counselling provide them with information about their rights and options and empower them to voice their interests.
It should be remembered that in some contexts intercultural mediators are themselves migrants. While they can act as a bridge between new arrivals and more settled populations, such mediators may not always provide a professional service if they are not properly trained. Furthermore, their role may be limited to only being used as translators.