There are an increasing number of unaccompanied children coming to Sweden. Sweden is one of the countries in the world that receive many of them. This awoke my interest to investigate the assessment of financial assistance and “other living expenses” considering unaccompanied children. My approach was a qualitative study including interviewing five social secretaries working in five different districts in Malmö. Theories used to analyze collected data were: organization theory, bureaucracy school, decision making and cognition and Sence of Coherence. Eight themes were identified: briefing profession, knowledge, values, the individual needs in centrum, assessment of "other living expenses", Malmö City Guidelines, Framework as working tool and finally labour division. These together increase our understanding of the assessment of financial assistance.The result of my study shows that three factors contribute to the assessment of financial support. 1) Social Service law which is a frame law. 2) The national and local rule tools that complement the law. 3) The social secretaries personal view of the law, frameworks and unaccompanied children. The social workers did not have an internal or external education about the unaccompanied children’s situation or the child perspective. They rather took personal responsibility to help them.

Abstrakt: Antalet ensamkommande barn som anländer till Sverige har ökat kraftigt de senaste åren. Detta gör att man vid mottagandet av dessa barn måste se till att deras behov efterlevs, även på lång sikt. Det ställs i synnerhet krav på de boenden där de flesta av barnen hamnar efter att de får permanent uppehållstillstånd. I denna studie efterfrågas hur personalen arbetar på dessa boenden, och vilka metoder som används. I studien har gruppintervjuer samt enkäter använts. Resultatet visar på att specifika metoder generellt anses som mycket användbara, men inte anses som något av det viktigaste i arbetet. Ospecifika metoder används betydligt mer, och bygger mycket på anpassning till olika situationer och klienter. Den viktigaste och mest användbara resursen i arbetet anses vara att ha en relation som bygger på förtroende och tillit, och att skapa trygghet. Synen på varför relationen är viktig är uppdelad, ofta mellan boendena, i praktiskt användbar och för den ensamkommande barnen emotionellt positiv. De som ser relationen som emotionellt positiv tenderar till att lägga större vikt vid relationsskapande. / The number of unaccompanied refugee minors arriving in Sweden has risen significantly in recent years. This calls for a reception in which their, (also long term) needs are covered. In particular, this accentuates the responsibility of the group-homes where most of these children and youth are placed after their asylum claims are accepted. In this study attention is focused on how the staff in these group-homes work, gaining information on current methods being used in the group homes, and exploring how effective and sufficient these methods are considered to be. The study involves a mixed-methods design, including both interviews and survey methods. The results show that specific group-home methods in general are perceived as very useful, but not the most important aspect in their work. Unspecific methods are used significantly more frequently, and are based in the ability to adapt to different situations and clients. The most important and useful resource in this work is considered to be having a relationship built on confidence and trust with the children, and to create a place of safety for the children. The perceptions of why the relationship is important are varied, often between the group-homes. Some emphasize practical areas, other emphasize emotional and developmental areas. Those who view the relationship as emotionally positive tend to further emphasize the importance of building relationships.

In recent years, Europe has witnessed a flow of refugees from war struck areas who seek asylum in various European countries, where Sweden is one of the recipient country. A large portion of these refugees comprise of unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs). Aim: The aim of the present study is to examine how unaccompanied refugee minors have the conditions in Malmo when it comes to individual health and lifestyle (tobacco, alcohol and drug use) and social environment (absence of family, living situation, school, social support and future prospects) as compared to the general population of the same age; and also, if these conditions could possibly put them at a risk to encounter or commit a crime. Method: The data is collected using quantitative survey questionnaires distributed to URMs (N=30). The data of the general population has been obtained through Region Skåne. Results: The findings indicate that in comparison to the general population, URMs report high level of ill-health, tobacco use, access to narcotics and low social support, which are termed as risk factors. The institute of school, however, is termed a protective factor for the URMs, where they score almost equivalent to the general population in terms of school satisfaction and better than them in terms of help and support from the teachers. The implication of the findings are discussed further in the paper.

In 2015 Sweden experienced a large increase in the number of asylum-seekers arriving in the country. Among them were 35,000 unaccompanied minors. As a response, a rollback of migrant rights was introduced beginning in November that year. This study examines the experiences of people who volunteered as guardians/foster homes for unaccompanied minors and subsequently followed them through the asylum systems during this period. The research is based on 12 in-depth interviews with guardians/foster parents. Three major themes are identified within the interview data: Unreliable systems/injustice, Going above and beyond and (Unexpected) solidarity. The findings suggest that Sweden’s adoption of much harsher migration policies made the work of guardians/foster homes increasingly difficult to carry out to a level that provided the necessary support for these children. The guardians/foster parents also found the asylum systems to be untrustworthy and unjust to a point where the unaccompanied minors’ rights were not upheld. Affectionate relationships with the unaccompanied minors and acts of solidarity by persons working within the systems and in civil society were counter-weights providing guardians/foster parents with energy and hope.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka ensamkommande flickors erfarenheter och upplevelser av integrationsprocessen. Studien avser ensamkommande flickor som har en erfarenhet av att bo på ett HVB-hem i Sverige. I studien har semistrukturerade intervjuer använts med fyra unga vuxna flickor som har kommit som ensamkommande barn till Sverige från olika länder. Studien är baserad på olika teman i syfte till att få en djupare förståelse och bättre uppfattning av intervjupersonernas upplevelse av deras integrationsprocess. Slutsatsen är att språket upplevs vara den viktigaste faktorn för att integreras i samhället. Det innebär att språket är en nödvändig faktor för en vidareutbildning, men också för att få ett fast arbete med goda arbetsvillkor. Förutom goda språkkunskaper är ett socialt nätverk, god relation med (personal, god man, socialsekreterare) och kortare väntetid på uppehållstillstånd några faktorer som främjar en lyckad integration enligt deltagarna. Sammanfattningsvis ger studien en bild på hur dessa flickor har haft det som ensamkommande barn, samt hur de har upplevt deras integrationsprocess i hemmet. Detta med en förhoppning av att ge ökad kunskap och bättre förståelse i bemötandet av ensamkommande barns behov under tiden på HVB-hem.

This study aims to draw attention to the stories of Afghan unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Sweden; their reasons to leave Afghanistan and to migrate to Sweden, the way that they migrate, and the problems they face during their journey to Sweden are investigated. In order to achieve the aims of this study, a qualitative method is used based on semi-structured interviews. Altogether, eight people are interviewed of which six are Afghan male unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, one is a legal guardian and one is an assistant (behandlingsassistent). Theories such as push and pull factors, migration industry theory, transit migration theory, and social network theory help to understand better the stories of Afghan unaccompanied children while analyzing the data.The data obtained from interviews shows that the children who were leaving Afghanistan had mixed motivations. Factors such as lack of security, violence, threats, individual risks associated with their ethnicity, forced recruitment, economic hardship and political reasons push them to leave Afghanistan. My findings show that the main reason for the children to leave Afghanistan is the harassment and violence against the ethnic group Hazara.Moreover, the data demonstrates that traveling with smugglers and crossing borders, by land or by sea, is a multiple-step procedure for Afghan unaccompanied children. They have many stops along the way and spend lots of time in different transit countries. The journey is full of risks for them. My interviews reveal that transit migration creates a number of problems for these children.In addition, this study indicates that the role of social networks is of great importance for these children. The smugglers create strong incentives for their decision to claim asylum in Sweden. Moreover, co-migrants and friends of friend who live in Europe play a significant role in their decision-making. Furthermore, restrictive legislations as well as lack of protection in transit countries make onward migration inevitable. Other factors, such as the probability of getting a residence permit and family reunification, are important for Afghan unaccompanied children to choose Sweden as a destination country.

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) disappearing from protection of the asylum system is a phenomenon that occurs around the world. Sweden is not immune to UASC disappearances, despite Swedish asylum laws and practices being based on the “Best Interests of the Child” (BIC). This study investigates the phenomenon from the perspective of stakeholders within the municipality of Malmö, Sweden, utilizing a constructivist grounded theory (CGT) approach. The aim of this study is to identify key paradoxical situations within the asylum system that may trigger disappearances, and to construct the theories surrounding this phenomenon from the data collected. The theories of governmentality, intersectionality and the post-Colonial theory of “othering” including “self-othering” were identified as valid concepts in regards to this phenomenon. This study also calls for further research into the field of unaccompanied migrant children including better documentation of these children who are both in and out of the asylum system.

No description available.

Syftet med denna studie var att se på de anvisade boendenas betydelse för integrationen av de ensamkommande barnen som kom till Sverige under 2015. Detta gjordes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex av de idag (2024) vuxna som kom som ensamkommande barn 2015. Diaz integrationsmodell tillämpades för att analysera resultaten som framkom i studien. Resultaten visade att boendepersonalen, språket och känslan av trygghet utgjorde de viktigaste delarna av boendets betydelse för integrationen. Resultaten visade även hinder och möjligheter för integration. Hindren var bland annat brister på svenska relationer och att aktiviteter enbart utfördes med andra utlandsfödda. Möjligheterna var bland annat att de fick stöd för att lära sig om samhället och kulturen. Studiens resultat stämmer med tidigare forskning som visade att det var viktigt med stödjande funktioner och att ensamkommande barn upplevde att de var isolerade från resten av samhället. / The purpose of this study was to look at the designated housing´s importance for the integration of the unaccompanied minors who came to Sweden in 2015. This was done through semi-structured interviews with six of the current (2024) adults who arrived as unaccompanied minors in 2015. The Diaz integration model was applied to analyze the results. The results showed that the housing staff, language and the feeling of safety were the most important elements of the housing´s importance. The results also showed barriers and opportunities for integration. The obstacles included a lack of Swedish relationships and the fact that activities were only carried out with other foreign-born people. The opportunities included support in learning about the society and the culture. The results of the study are consistent with previous research that supportive functions are important and that unaccompanied children felt that they were isolated from the rest of society.

I denna studie har erfarenheter och framtidsvisioner vad gäller utbildning och arbete i Sverige bland unga kvinnor som kom till Sverige som ensamkommande flickor undersökts. Ambitionen med studien är att öka kunskapen kring gruppen unga kvinnor som kommit till Sverige som ensamkommande flickor. Kvalitativa djupgående intervjuer samt en hermeneutisk forskningsansats, präglad av författarnas förförståelse, har använts i studien. I studieresultatet framkommer att de unga kvinnorna upplever mindre stöd samt en ökad ensamhet efter att de har flyttat från HVB-hemmet till eget boende. Studieresultatet visar även på att de unga kvinnorna upplever segregation i skolan samt har kunskapsluckor kring arbete och utbildning. I studiens slutsats formuleras möjliga förbättringar för att öka unga kvinnors kontaktnät innan de flyttar till eget boende, för att motverka segregation i skolan samt förslag på att införa regelbundna samtal. Förbättringarna syftar till att öka unga kvinnors möjligheter att nå sina mål, nå ökat välmående samt en förbättrad integration. / This study have set out to oppose the experience and outlook on future regarding education and work within the group of young women who came to Sweden as unaccompanied refugee children. The purpose of the study is also to increase knowledge about young women who came to Sweden as unaccompanied refugee children. Qualitative in-depth interviews with a hermeneutic research approach characterized by the author’s preconceptions have been used for the study. The key features of the study is that young women after they have moved out of the residential care home to their own apartments experience feelings of loneliness and lack of support. Experiences of segregation in school and knowledge gaps regarding education and work is also key features in the study. In the conclusion of the study possible improvements are suggested to improve young women’s contact network before moving to their own apartments, counteract segregation in school and suggest an establishment of regular dialogues. The improvements aims as a way to increase young women’s abilities to reach their goals, increase their wellbeing and improve integration.