Caring for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

This is a new 2 day training course written by CoramBAAF, in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the EU. It was designed specifically for foster carers in the UK who might wish to care fo unaccompanied migrant children, to be delivered by local practioners.

During the surge in arrivals of refugees and migrants to the European Union in 2015, more than 90,000 unaccompanied migrant children (UMC) sought asylum in Europe. The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) requires countries to provide holistic care to children which ensures their best interest is the primary consideration 'in all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities of legislative bodies'.

Unaccompanied children in migration have special vulnerabilities and needs that are based on their triple characteristics of being children, being in migration and being unaccompanied by adults who know them well (their family of legal guardians).

Unaccompanied Migrant Children:

• Have been seperated from their birth parents, families, communites, language, religion, culture and country all at once, exacerbating their feelings of loss.
• May have suffered abuse, exploitation and violence during their migration journey, while also being the subject to physical hardship, trauma and lack of access to appropriate healthcare or education.
• Might have faced or be facing discrimination, hostility and stigma during their journey and on arrival in a new country.
• May experience a cultural shock on arrival in a new country and be re-traumatised as they undergo the asylum/immagration, age assessment and care processes.
• Need to build the foundations of a new life in their country of arrival as they embark on a new journey towards intergration, while developing into young adults and coming to terms with loss and seperation.

Foster carers play a pivotal role in supporting children to develop the skills necessary to gro and thrive, and to overcome the effects of loss, seperation and trauma. This course will support the carers by providing them with the knowledge, skills and tools needed to provide these children with the best possible standards of care.