Asylum-seeking children in Spain: needs and intervention models

The arrival of numerous unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) for the past 20 years has been a challenge for the child welfare system in Europe. Childcare resources and professionals have made a big effort to adapt... [ view full abstract ]

The arrival of numerous unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) for the past 20 years has been a challenge for the child welfare system in Europe. Childcare resources and professionals have made a big effort to adapt services and procedures to the specific needs of these children.
There is a clear interest in international research for going in depth in the meaning of this migrant process and its ethical, political and practical implications in child care systems.
Interpretation and implementation of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC,1989) regarding the recognition of these children as ‘children first and foremost’ has been unequal among European countries. There are important differences in the ways of facing the tension between child care principles and migrant control interests.
The name of ‘unaccompanied asylum seeking children’ has been used to described a complex phenomenon, including all the migrant children travelling without the company of a guardian but with many differences regarding to their origin, reason for migrating and needs. While conflicts and insecurity in the country of origin are the reason for making this long trip to some countries, the lack of economic resources is the main motivation for children arriving to others, such as the Spanish case. For some of them the concept of refugee makes sense, with its legal and emotional implications, but for others the status of admission in the new country takes different forms.
Nevertheless, there is a common debate in this field about which are the best practices in some key aspects of the care intervention: age assessment, how to assess and meet their needs, specific responses for placement, education, transition to adulthood and social support. Main conclusions of different researches point out the need for further support for the transition to adulthood and attention to their emotional distress to favor the adaptation of these vulnerable children to the host country.