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issues faced by children seeking
asylum
Children and families may have experienced loss, bereavement
and separation, along with problems related to asylum itself
and the arrival in a new country.
Fears of being sent back, detention and the stresses of
poverty, culture shock, obstacles to integration, racism,
unemployment and boredom are common issues.
They have to adjust to a new culture, language and to construct
a new sense of identity/belonging. Young people are trying
to manage these transitions at a crucial time in their own
development.
Many children may be suffering from trauma which might
lead to perceived behavioural problems. Some may have guilt
feelings about having to escape leaving family members behind.
Some may have experienced extreme events like torture, other
assault or uncertain imprisonment. They may have witnessed
inhumane acts or had to deal with the aftermath of these.
Especially in the case of unaccompanied children, they
may be extremely anxious about the security of personal
information and trust-building will be a key issue. If children
are removed, detained or displaced by Immigration authorities,
it must be acknowledged that this can compromise a child's
recovery from often significant trauma.
This is exacerbated if children have been settled for
a time in Scotland, have built new identities and have begun
to rebuild their lives. The uncertainty itself may be enough
to undermine recovery.
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What awaits children if they are
deported?
There is current concern about how assessments are made
in countries to which children are returned, about the support
for children and their families and the training and qualifications
of the people undertaking the assessment.
For example, a child who has been sold by their parents
and subsequently trafficked may have a different reunification
with their parents from a child who has been sent by their
parents to escape traumatic experiences like war or persecution.
Social workers need to be confident that the child is returning
to a welcoming and supportive environment and that they
will not suffer further harm or abuse. The guidelines for
this assessment are found in the UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child.
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dilemmas for practitioners
Practitioners in the social work and social care professions
are well equipped to help children and their families recover
from all of the effects outlined above.
Practical assistance (where possible) and referral to specialist
advocates is one part of this process. However, it should
not be the only part of the process. It must be complemented
by a recognition that many families will need the individual
and family emotional support and therapy we can and should
provide.
It is clear that progressive Scottish legislation, designed
to meet and support the needs of children with the central
principle that the child's welfare is paramount, is compromised
by immigration legislation.
Dilemmas arise when it is apparent that the child's welfare
is being compromised by that legislation and by how that
legislation is being applied.
UNISON and BASW are lobbying consistently for the interests
and rights of children and against legislation that compromises
those interests and rights. But significant change, even
if there is a will for that change, will take time.
Practitioners should not collude with practices and procedures
that do not have children's interests at their heart. It
is not a social work role to put a human face on to inhumane
practices. But where possible, they should do all they can
to promote the child's interests.
That should include using to best effect all the legislation
we have at our disposal and being prepared to intervene
and challenge within the parameters of the SSSC Code of
Practice and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
We should expect the support of our agencies in doing that.
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