M.A. University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities (Forced Migration Studies), 2012 / Background: This research investigates the psychosocial needs of cross-border unaccompanied minors (UAMs) within urban Johannesburg, a city that attracts nearly half of all the cross-border migrant population in South Africa (Landau and Gindrey, 2008). The focus of the research is dual; firstly, it explores what the prime psychosocial needs of UAMs are by eliciting them from the UAMs themselves via participatory research workshops. South Africa, by law, has an obligation to all UAMs to provide for them. By ascertaining these needs, this study reveals discrepancies between existing psychosocial programmes designed and provided by the government or service providers and the needs of the UAM. Secondly, the research examines how UAMs are trying to satisfy their psychosocial needs. Identifying the psychosocial needs of UAMs and their coping mechanisms gives us a better understanding of the nature of the issues UAMs face, as well as their subjective perception of and priority they place on those issues. This can consequently contribute (a) to providing constructive suggestions on designing psychosocial programmes by governmental, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), and non-profit organisations (NPOs) and (b) valuable input to further research on livelihood-seeking UAMs, a group that is currently under-represented in cross-border UAM studies, unlike asylum seeking or refugee UAMs. Aims: The aim of this study is to understand the psychosocial needs of UAMs and how they are meeting those needs in Johannesburg. This will provide insights on the nature of the psychosocial needs of UAMs that will ultimately be helpful both to government agencies as well as NGOs and NPOs responsible for programme planning, legislation, and execution of policies regarding cross-border UAMs. Finally, the study aims to draw attention to livelihood-seeking UAMs and to encourage further research on this particular group of UAMs. Therefore my research question is: what are the psychosocial needs of cross-border UAMs in Johannesburg? Methods: In this study, a qualitative research approach is used with the aim of uncovering the psychosocial needs of cross-border UAMs. This was done by using participatory action research and a visual methodology. The data was elicited via two participatory workshops, the first with 36 cross-border minors participants and the second with 12 cross-border UAM participants. This was followed by a series of group discussions after the workshops. Afterwards, a comparison between the participants’ visual inputs with their narratives and responses allowed me to extrapolate their psychosocial needs and ways in which they meet those needs. Adding to the study, 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted with service providers from various organisations, both non-governmental and governmental. Finally, the data was compiled from both the cross-border UAM s and service providers to answer the research question and objectives. Conclusion: This research identifies and discusses the following psychosocial needs of crossborder UAMs: family, a care-giver, documentation, fitting-in with their South African peers, security, schooling, better life quality (economic and social advancement), counselling, and playing. The four themes in bold text represent psychosocial needs, which continue to be unmet or unfulfilled by service providers current responses. Although the basic (ontological) needs of cross-border UAMs seem to be met (i.e., food, housing, clothing), psychosocial needs - those needed for emotional well-being - are undermined because service providers do not see them as fundamental as basic needs. One conclusion from my study is that NGOs can better cater to UAMs’ psychosocial needs due to their flexible infrastructure that can accommodate personalisation and prompt redesigning of programmes offered, in contradistinction to the recalcitrant governmental infrastructure. Currently service providers, such as governmental departments, NGOs and NPOs use the law (such as the Children’s Act (2008)), regulations or psychosocial programmes to aid cross-border UAMs, but these laws and programmes are manufactured for either homogenous groups or very specific groups such as refugees and asylum seekers. However, there are persisting gaps in the services available. These gaps are due to the varied nature of psychosocial needs that each ‘child’ has to meet, which is also contingent on their own background and personality. Under the Children’s Act (2008), minors are categorised as a homogeneous group and therefore individual needs are overlooked. Organisations both governmental and non-governmental have tried to incorporate child friendly practices, although in most of the interviews it was mentioned that policy, such as the Children’s Act (2008), is not necessarily ‘child’ or ‘family’ friendly. Overall this research indicates that NGOs and NPOs are well-equipped to cater to the psychosocial needs of UAMs, such as school, family reunification and basic needs. Certain psychosocial needs, however, such as ‘fitting-in’, are still unmet. In these cases, UAMs resort to catering to their own needs (lke living on the street in selfappointed families), relying on service providers for emotional support and/or basic needs.

The purpose of the research was to investigate whether cultural dissonance was experienced by a group of migrant students during educational and cultural transition to new education systems which shared cultural markers of language and ethnicity. Cultural dissonance is defined in this study as:A sense of discord or disharmony, experienced by participants in cultural change where cultural differences are found to occur which are unexpected, unexplained and therefore difficult to negotiate and which inhibit behavioural adaptation.The study utilised case histories of children from forty-seven families. The respondents in the research were the children's parents. The families had emigrated from the United Kingdom to Western Australia during the period 1985-1995.The families reported receiving little information about education systems in Western Australia prior to migration. In the post-migration period, little official information was provided at system or at school level. Because placing the children in schools was a priority for the families, encounters with Western Australian education systems took place within a few weeks of their arrival as migrants.This lack of prior information meant that cultural differences in educational provision were unexpected and unexplained. In particular, families encountered unexpected problems in the appropriate placement of their children in Western Australian schools. Accented English and differences in word usage led to unexpected rejection and teasing. The perceived failure on the part of schools to address these and other differences caused confrontations between parents and many schools and disrupted the children's educational progress. These discordant experiences and difficulties led to what, in this study, is characterised as cultural dissonance.The implications for the study are discussed on two levels. With particular ++ / reference to Western Australian education systems, the lack of induction policies for English-speaking migrant children was apparent. There appeared to be no system or school level guidelines which mandated the use of printed matter, provided at State system level to address these difficulties. The schools were not seen to make good use of the information parents provided about the children's educational stages. The intervention of teachers at classroom level to discourage teasing was seen as ineffective and in two cases teachers contributed to the problems being encountered.On a more general level, the study has implications for attitudinal change within Australian society towards the reception of skilled and financially secure migrant new criteria for entry to Australia have implications for the socio-economic status of potential migrants. The self-identity of these families is influenced by their status in the social hierarchies of their country-of origin. Skilled and professional families are likely to resist policies for their children's induction being seen as a low priority in Western Australian schools simply because of the child's migrant status.The research findings gave rise to recommendations that:Information of education systems in Western Australia should be made available to all intending migrant families with children.Induction policies for all migrant children should be in place and be utilised in Western Australian schools.The formulation of policy takes account of the effects of changes to migrant socio- economic status, brought about by the changes to the criteria for entry to Australia.The study concluded that shared markers of language and ethnicity were not sufficient to ensure that the cultural differences in education systems were not experienced by the families. A lack of prior information on those differences and a lack of induction ++ / policies for the children led to difficulties and to experiences of cultural dissonance for the families.

This thesis is about staff in Sweden working with unaccompanied migrant children, either in supported accommodation or HVB-homes, a form of residential care. A previous study shows that staffs’ acting space often led them feeling a higher sense of responsibility for their work. This study seeks to understand if the staffs’ acting space relate to their sense of responsibility for children in care. To answer this, we have used a qualitative method. We have done eight semi-structured interviews with staff working in HVB-homes and supported accommodation, to take part of the staffs’ perspective and point of views. The theory used for analysing out material is Lipsky’s Street-level bureaucracy: dilemmas of the individual in public services. We have also used Ulla Johansson’s conception analysis Om ansvar. The result of the study shows that staff feel like they have a big acting space at their place of work. Staff also describe how they feel responsible for the children they meet in their work, but not a sense of responsibility that goes beyond their work role. From our interviews we have concluded that it doesn’t seem to be a significant relation between acting space and the staffs’ sense of responsibility for the children. The latter relates more to the staffs’ attitude and their boundaries.

Subclinical vitamin A deficiency was assessed in 65 Hispanic children attending four migrant Head Start programs in Utah. Subjects aged 2 to 6 years (median 3 years 10 months) were examined for evidence of vitamin A deficiency by conjunctival impression cytology. Biochemical indices for serum vitamin A, retinol-binding protein, zinc, and iron were performed. Of eight children (12.5%) with subclinical vitamin A deficiency, one child had a marginal serum vitamin A of 11 μg/dl. Retinol-binding protein concentrations were significantly lower in two subjects with abnormal conjunctival impression cytology. Serum zinc, which when low can mimic signs of ocular vitamin A lesions, was normal for all 65 subjects. Fifteen children (23%) had iron-deficiency anemia. Logistic regression was the central method of analysis used in this study. The results of the statistical analyses indicated there was a correlation value (0.31) between abnormal conjunctival impression cytology and serum vitamin A, which supports the hypothesis that abnormal conjunctiva! impression cytology is concurrent with decreased serum vitamin A. Assessment of vitamin A status of Hispanic migrant children by impression cytology was effective in identifying children at risk for hypovitaminosis A. Beyond vitamin A's role in vision and maintenance of epithelium, it is also required for growth and hematopoiesis. The children of migrant workers may be suffering physiologically important consequences of vitamin A and iron deficiency that can be prevented by screening with biochemical and histological testing. Nutrition intervention for deficient children is warranted.

A nutrition education component was developed, implemented, and evaluated for integration into the Title I migrant education program. The component was based on an evaluated nutrition education curriculum implemented by Brown in the elementary school. The nutrition education program was developed on the concept of nutrient density which measures the ratio of a food's nutrient contribution to its caloric contribution on a constant caloric basis. The nutrition component was modified to include behavioral objectives and concepts that partially met the needs of a migrant population in Utah. The program was evaluated in the Title I programs in Corrine and Smithfield, Utah. The latter site served as a control group. A total of 88 students participated. Pre-post tests as well as individual unit tests served as evaluation instruments. The health status of the migrant children also was evaluated. Students and teachers indicated a positive change in knowledge and attitudes resulting from the nutrition education component.

Student Number:0400612E Faculty:Humanities Degree:MA / THE PSYCHOSOCIAL CHALLENGES OF UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEE CHILDREN IN URBAN ZIMBABWE Abstract This study explores the psychosocial coping mechanisms of unaccompanied migrant children in Harare, Zimbabwe. While refugees who stay in camps are provided formal assistance through various forms of psychosocial intervention, those who live in cities must typically rely on their own resources and strategies. Using existing academic literature on psychosocial interventions and coping strategies in camps as a comparative referent, this study documents and explains the responses on unaccompanied displaced youth in Harare. Given that this research focuses on the exploration of the informal coping strategies of unaccompanied refugee children a qualitative research is the most preferable method on collecting data. The instruments for collecting the data were semi-structured interviews with key informants and unaccompanied refugee children. Although this project is for academic purposes it is expected that the findings can also be used to for advocacy and programme formulation to meet the psychological needs of unaccompanied refugee children in Zimbabwe as the country undergoes this transitional phase.

The process of migration has resulted in population growth and contributed to the transformation of New Zealand. Migrant and refugee children face many adjustment factors and their ease in resettling in New Zealand is largely dependent on their ability to learn English. Migration stress, change, trauma and loss may result in psychological difficulties which in turn may affect their resettling and learning. The Ministry of Education and other professionals work together to enhance the quality of their service provision to facilitate easier adjustment, resettlement and effective learning for these children. An adequate assessment battery for speech language therapists to assess migrant and refugee children, is presently lacking in New Zealand. Therapists currently use various assessments, with the assistance of interpreters. The New Zealand Speech Therapists’ Association (NZSTA), in accordance with speech therapists in Group Special Education (GSE), strongly supports the need for research with these groups and the development of an appropriate assessment battery. This exploratory study aimed to determine an assessment battery for use in examining English language acquisition in refugee and migrant children and to highlight the benefit of using measurement tools that determine incremental change over time in contrast to the use of monolingual psychometric tests. The study explored a selected assessment battery and gathered data in five main focus areas, namely: cognition, language, trauma, classroom behaviour, developmental and birth information. Eligible children were those who did not have physiologically - impaired cognitive abilities. Eight cases, four refugee and four migrant students, were selected by convenience sampling. All participants were children selected from primary school 1 (three refugees and three migrants) and primary school 2 (one refugee and one migrant) primary schools, aged approximately (5-8 years). Participants included four male and four females, refugee and migrant children, and those with both high and low English ability. Based on the study’s results, recommendations were made to refine the test battery, which included test modification. For example, the use of the trauma measurement tool only if there is prior evidence of trauma, the inclusion of a larger test population who have a common primary language to allow for cost effective interpreter use and to also allow for generalisations to be made, the inclusion of an assessment of the children’s primary language in order to determine the relationship, development and acquisition of the child’s second language with reference to his/her development and skills in his native language. All of the refugee children and 3 migrant children displayed slower processing time during the administration of the tests. Migrant parents were quicker in test completion as compared to refugee parents. They displayed differences in family size, contact with extended family, socioeconomic status and educational level. Migrant children produced sentences that included correct word order and sequence whilst refugee children produced sentences that lacked adequate word order or lacked articles and determiners. The study found the proposed test battery was an effective choice for use in the assessment of both migrant and refugee children, as the battery allows for dynamic assessment of children from diverse groups and this proved to be an unbiased means of assessing their English language and cognitive skills. Recommendations are made for future, more-extensive research. These findings provide information about appropriate and reliable language acquisition tests that measure incremental change with time. This study will contribute to a developing knowledge base for speech-language therapists who work with migrant or refugee children. Effective assessment on which to base tailored language programmes will assist them to optimise their experience in New Zealand schools and enhance their English language skills.

This study examines the migration experiences of non-English speaking background children. The research was conducted at the Southside Primary Introductory English Centre in the A.C.T. An ethnographic approach was employed enabling the researcher to participate in the setting in order to develop an in depth understanding of the children's experiences. The data was collected using observation and key informant interviewing. The participants were encouraged to freely reflect on their past and present experiences to enable them to make a comparative analysis of their experiences in Australia and in their country of origin. The data has been faithfully recorded to represent the children's point of view. The data was then organised into taxonomies. These were used as a basis for the analysis of the data in relation to the pertinent literature. The three major categories examined were culture, interaction and feelings. This analysis has been used to draw implications for the education of migrant children in the A.C.T.

The process of migration has resulted in population growth and contributed to the transformation of New Zealand. Migrant and refugee children face many adjustment factors and their ease in resettling in New Zealand is largely dependent on their ability to learn English. Migration stress, change, trauma and loss may result in psychological difficulties which in turn may affect their resettling and learning. The Ministry of Education and other professionals work together to enhance the quality of their service provision to facilitate easier adjustment, resettlement and effective learning for these children. An adequate assessment battery for speech language therapists to assess migrant and refugee children, is presently lacking in New Zealand. Therapists currently use various assessments, with the assistance of interpreters. The New Zealand Speech Therapists’ Association (NZSTA), in accordance with speech therapists in Group Special Education (GSE), strongly supports the need for research with these groups and the development of an appropriate assessment battery. This exploratory study aimed to determine an assessment battery for use in examining English language acquisition in refugee and migrant children and to highlight the benefit of using measurement tools that determine incremental change over time in contrast to the use of monolingual psychometric tests. The study explored a selected assessment battery and gathered data in five main focus areas, namely: cognition, language, trauma, classroom behaviour, developmental and birth information. Eligible children were those who did not have physiologically - impaired cognitive abilities. Eight cases, four refugee and four migrant students, were selected by convenience sampling. All participants were children selected from primary school 1 (three refugees and three migrants) and primary school 2 (one refugee and one migrant) primary schools, aged approximately (5-8 years). Participants included four male and four females, refugee and migrant children, and those with both high and low English ability. Based on the study’s results, recommendations were made to refine the test battery, which included test modification. For example, the use of the trauma measurement tool only if there is prior evidence of trauma, the inclusion of a larger test population who have a common primary language to allow for cost effective interpreter use and to also allow for generalisations to be made, the inclusion of an assessment of the children’s primary language in order to determine the relationship, development and acquisition of the child’s second language with reference to his/her development and skills in his native language. All of the refugee children and 3 migrant children displayed slower processing time during the administration of the tests. Migrant parents were quicker in test completion as compared to refugee parents. They displayed differences in family size, contact with extended family, socioeconomic status and educational level. Migrant children produced sentences that included correct word order and sequence whilst refugee children produced sentences that lacked adequate word order or lacked articles and determiners. The study found the proposed test battery was an effective choice for use in the assessment of both migrant and refugee children, as the battery allows for dynamic assessment of children from diverse groups and this proved to be an unbiased means of assessing their English language and cognitive skills. Recommendations are made for future, more-extensive research. These findings provide information about appropriate and reliable language acquisition tests that measure incremental change with time. This study will contribute to a developing knowledge base for speech-language therapists who work with migrant or refugee children. Effective assessment on which to base tailored language programmes will assist them to optimise their experience in New Zealand schools and enhance their English language skills.

In my Master thesis, I deal with the impact of educational activities of selected NGOs on the process of migrant children inclusion to the Czech society. The thesis is both theoretical and empirical. The theoretical part deals with the process of immigrant integration and with the role of the governmental and non-profit organizations. A large part is devoted to the migrant children's education and to the difficulties which they have and must overcome. The end of the theoretical part presents the educational activities of selected non-profit organizations, which focus not only on helping migrant children, but also on working with schools and families of the children. The empirical part examines the impact of specific educational activities realized at the community center InBáze on the process of migrant children inclusion to the Czech society. Empirical investigation was done through a questionnaire. I used available Czech, English and American sources during writing this thesis. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)