New scientific article analyses stories from unaccompanied refugee children with experiences of war and staff at residential care homes for children and young persons
In a new scientific article, Goran Basic presents a study where he has interviewed six unaccompanied refugee children with experiences of war and nine employees at residential homes for children and young persons. The results show that there have been good meetings and relations between the adolescents and the members of staff, but also that there are problems in the relations with authorities and legal guardians, as well as uncertainty concerning the future.
Unaccompanied refugee children from war-torn countries live with an insecurity when they arrive in Sweden – concern for relatives in their native country and an insecurity concerning whether they will get to stay. Despite this insecurity, they appreciate Sweden and, above all, the staff at residential care homes for children and young persons. They provide accounts of a committed staff that, in addition to help with the planning of everyday life and help with school and integration, also push on in the contact with authorities.
In the interviews with staff at the residential care homes for children and young people, the members of staff say that they experience a stigmatisation of the adolescents from society. They also say that the possibilities for treatment at the residential care homes are small and that the collaboration with authorities is limited. They also talk about incompetence among some of their colleagues, which has negative effects for both the adolescents and for society.
The full article “Social pedagogical work with unaccompanied young refugees with experiences of war in institutional care in Sweden: an ethnography-inspired analysis of young persons and institution personnel” is available on the following link:
