Category

Unaccompanied Minors Research

Mental Health of Refugee Children and Youth: Epidemiology, Interventions, and Future Directions

By | Child Well-Being, Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Youth, Research, Research Highlight, Trauma, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Mental Health of Refugee Children and Youth: Epidemiology, Interventions, and Future Directions

Rochelle L. Frounfelker, Diana Miconi, Jordan Farrar, Mohamad Adam Brooks, Cécile Rousseau, and Theresa S. Betancourt, Annual Reviews (April 2020)

This article summarizes current epidemiological knowledge of refugee youth mental health as well as related interventions, highlights current challenges and limitations, presents potential opportunities and recommendations in refugee child psychiatric epidemiology and mental health services research.

Child Maltreatment & Child Migration: Abuse Disclosures by Central American and Mexican Unaccompanied Migrant Children

By | Child Maltreatment, Immigrant Youth, Research, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Child Maltreatment & Child Migration: Abuse Disclosures by Central American and Mexican Unaccompanied Migrant Children

Susan Schmidt, Journal on Migration and Human Security (February 23, 2022)

This article analyzes data from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) to examine child maltreatment experienced by unaccompanied minors from Mexico and Central America and provides policy recommendations.

Relaunching the Central American Minors Program: Opportunities to Enhance Child Safety and Family Reunification

By | Child Well-Being, Immigrant Youth, Immigration Relief, Research, Research Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Relaunching the Central American Minors Program: Opportunities to Enhance Child Safety and Family Reunification

Mark Greenberg, Stephanie Heredia, Kira Monin, Celia Reynolds and Essay Workie, Migration Policy Institute (December 2021)

This report examines the relaunch and essential parts of the Central American Minors Program, including expanded eligibility, and provides recommendations for the current version.

A Vision Forward: Policies Needed to Protect the Best Interests of ‘Category 4′ Unaccompanied Immigrant Children

By | Child Well-Being, Foster Care, Immigrant Youth, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

A Vision Forward: Policies Needed to Protect the Best Interests of ‘Category 4′ Unaccompanied Immigrant Children

Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Clinic, Columbus School of Law, the Catholic University of America; Migration & Refugee Services, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (June 2021)

This report details the findings from a survey of long-term foster care (LTFC) and unaccompanied refugee minor (URM) program providers and highlights how the federal system departs from core child welfare principles. It also offers policy recommendations to better protect the interests of these vulnerable children.

Strengthening Services for Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities

By | Child Well-Being, Immigrant Youth, Immigration Relief, Language Issues, Research Highlight, Trauma, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Strengthening Services for Unaccompanied Children in U.S. Communities

Mark Greenberg, Kylie Grow, Stephanie Heredia, Kira Monin and Essey Workie; Migration Policy Institute (June 2021)

This report reviews federal post-release services for unaccompanied minors and highlights ongoing gaps in meeting these children’s needs. It also provides recommendations for the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), state and local governments, and community providers in order to improve outcomes for unaccompanied minors.

Pushed Into Harm’s Way: Forced Returns of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Danger by the USA and Mexico

By | Child Well-Being, Deportation, Immigrant Youth, Immigration Enforcement, Research Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Pushed Into Harm’s Way: Forced Returns of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Danger by the USA and Mexico

Amnesty International (June 11, 2021)

This report details the deportations of thousands of unaccompanied minors by both the USA and Mexico without sufficient screenings for the danger and harm these children may encounter, and offers recommendation to both nation’s government to address these issues.

Rapid Evidence Assessment: What Works to Protect Children on the Move

By | Child Well-Being, Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Youth, Research, Research Highlight, Social Work, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Rapid Evidence Assessment: What Works to Protect Children on the Move 

UNHCR (July 2020) 

In response to the evidence gap surrounding what does and does not work for migrant and displaced children “on the move” and by reviewing relevant literature, this assessment seeks to answer three questions – what interventions have proven most effective in protecting children, what factors of implementation make these interventions effective or ineffective, and what systems of child protection and social welfare make them effective? 

Care Provider Facilities Described Challenges Addressing Mental Health Needs of Children in HHS Custody

By | Child Well-Being, Family Separation, Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Youth, Immigration Enforcement, Research, Research Highlight, Trauma, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Care Provider Facilities Described Challenges Addressing Mental Health Needs of Children in HHS Custody

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (September 2019)

A report released by the Office of the Inspector General confirmed that intense trauma was common among children who entered the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) facilities in 2018 including those who were suddenly separated from their parents.

Children as Bait: Impacts of the ORR-DHS Information-Sharing Agreement

By | Immigrant Youth, Legal/Law, Research, Research Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Children as Bait: Impacts of the ORR-DHS Information-Sharing Agreement

Women’s Refugee Commission, National Immigrant Justice Center, Washington College of Law (March 26, 2019)

This report reviews the potential impacts of the new Memorandum of Agreement between the HHS and DHS to share information about unaccompanied children in government custody and their prospective sponsors. The report evaluates findings from a survey of individuals involved in the sponsorship application and vetting processes—including attorneys, biometrics technicians and fingerprint specialists, and child advocates—in order to better understand and document the full range of implications of this new MOA.

Separated Children Placed in Office of Refugee Resettlement Care

By | Family Separation, Federal Policy, Highlighted Resources, Immigrant Families Research, Immigrant Youth, Law & Policy, Law/Policy Highlight, Unaccompanied Minors, Unaccompanied Minors Research

Separated Children Placed in Office of Refugee Resettlement Care

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (January 2019)

In response to the potential impact of the “zero-tolerance policy” on vulnerable children and ORR operations, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this review to determine the number and status of separated children who have entered ORR care. OIG examines challenges that ORR-funded facilities have faced in reunifying separated children.

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