Practitioner Points
- Base decisions about location and living arrangements on the age and development of a CYP and not on their migration status.
- Ensure CYP placements consider access to services and maintaining links with extended families, friends and communities.
- Remember the child's biological family may exert influence over the child and this may be at odds with support services. It is important to try to involve families in plans for children wherever possible. This should include involving them in decisions made and communicating plans.
- Work with CYP to develop plans for their education which are both appropriate and also attractive and acceptable to them. Remember that many older CYP may be keen to work and earn money and it may be necessary to explain local laws in relation to employment.
- Understand religious beliefs and support access to religious life and practice, both privately and with others.
- Ensure that CYP have appropriate health care including preventative services such as immunisation programmes and care for pre-existing conditions.
Resources
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Safety and dignity for refugee and migrant children: Recommendations for alternatives to detention and appropriate care arrangements in Europe
IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF (2022)
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Working in SIL: A practical guide. A manual for staff working with unaccompanied children living in supported independent living schemes
Nidos, METAdrasi, Fundació Idea, Apostoli, CECL, PLAN and Athens Lifelong Learning Institute (2021)
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A chance for a better future: Supported independent living and the protection of unaccompanied children in Greece
International Rescue Committee (2021)
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Rethinking care: Improving support for unaccompanied migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children
Lumos (2020)
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Promoting integration of migrants and refugees in and through education: Toolkit
Education International (2018)
Click here to openPractical Application Examples
Coordinated care and support in Germany
Care and protection and access to services is provided through, or under the coordination of, the national welfare system and not through a parallel system. Actors at all levels work to remove barriers that prevent children from accessing fundamental rights to care, protection, education, health care and other vital services. For example, in Germany, unaccompanied CYP are taken care of by the youth welfare services. Upon their arrival the children and young people are temporarily taken into care by youth welfare offices and are looked after and cared for by the child and youth welfare services. This puts them on an equal legal footing with children and young people without a refugee background who have to be taken into care.
Supported independent living in Greece
METAdrasi's 'Supported independent living for unaccompanied minors' offers an alternative initiative for the provision of care for unaccompanied children aged 16 to 18 years old, identified as refugees or asylum seekers.
In addition to safe housing, the programme offers a series of services that cover CYP's basic needs (education, health, psychosocial development, legal aid, interpretation etc), along with an appropriate level of care and guardianship. Emphasis is placed on setting goals, boosting self-esteem and self-preservation, developing personal interests, and embracing personal empowerment.
The aim of this programme is to enable participants' smooth coming-of-age and ultimate integration into Greek society. The programme is supervised by an interdisciplinary team, which consists of a social worker, psychologist and other caretakers. This team offers psychosocial support to teens and encourages their gradual independence.
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Click to view Family For Every Child