The purpose of this study was to explore unaccompanied refugee children / young people’s experiences of support from social services in the near term after the decision on permanent residence. Previous research has focused mainly on other aspects of integration. The theoretical approach was based on systems theory and Antonovsky’s theory of SOC (sense of coherence). Four young people were interviewed. The design was qualitative with an inductive approach. The results of the interviews were divided into four themes: experienced support, expected support, participation and required support. A recurring theme in the interviews was that respondents had difficulty understanding the social services role and thus know what support they could expect. They also expressed a need for greater participation in the context of social services different decisions. / Syftet med denna studie var att utforska ensamkommande flyktingbarns/ungdomars upplevelse av stöd från socialtjänsten under den närmaste tiden efter beslut om permanent uppehållstillstånd. Tidigare forskning har framför allt studerat andra aspekter av integrationen. Den teoretiska ansatsen utgick från systemteori samt Antonovskys teori om KASAM (känsla av sammanhang). Fyra ungdomar djupintervjuades. Designen var kvalitativ med en induktiv ansats. Resultaten av intervjuerna indelades i fyra teman: upplevt stöd, förväntat stöd, delaktighet och önskat stöd. Ett genomgående tema i intervjuerna var att respondenterna hade svårt att förstå socialtjänstens roll och därmed veta vilket stöd de kunde förvänta sig. De uttryckte också ett behov av större delaktighet i samband med socialtjänstens olika beslut.

The present study explores how members of staff at HVB for unaccompanied minors experience their work tasks, their roles as care givers, and what they mean it takes to meet the needs of the children. The data consists of six semi-structured interviews conducted at three different HVB. The interviews were analysed using reports made by the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) and the health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO), and theories about resilience from mental illness. Furthermore, the current paper draws on previous research on the needs of unaccompanied minors and on international professionals’ roles and work tasks. The results show that the staff’s main task is to meet some of the needs of the children as their need of security, support, stability and sense of belonging. Time, knowledge, personal suitability and formal training were emphasized as important characteristics in order for them to adequately respond to the children’s needs. / Denna kvalitativa studie undersöker hur personal - på hem för vård eller boende (HVB) för ensamkommande barn - upplever sina arbetsuppgifter, sin yrkesroll samt vad de menar behövs för att kunna bemöta barnens behov. Empirin består av 6 st semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomförda på 3 olika HVB. Intervjuerna har analyserats utifrån Socialstyrelsens och Inspektionen för vård och omsorgs (IVO´s) tidigare rapporter, forskning om ensamkommande barns behov, internationell personals roll och arbetsuppgifter samt teorier om vad som hjälper människor i återhämtning från psykisk ohälsa. Resultatet visar att personalens huvudsakliga arbetsuppgifter är att möta några av barnens behov, nämligen barnens behov av trygghet, vuxenstöd, vardaglig stabilitet och att känna sig hemma. För detta krävs tid och rätt kompetens. För att personalen ska kunna bemöta dessa behov framhölls personlig lämplighet, engagemang och formell kunskap som viktigt.

Previous studies have shown that activity loss in unaccompanied refugee children is common. During the asylum process, inactivity, uncertainty and anxiety disorders, which may occur after trauma, can result in passivity. Unaccompanied refugee children are, according to the UN, children and young people under 18 years of age who have fled from their home country without an accompanying parent or guardian. The purpose of this study was to describe different activities and their significance for unaccompanied refugee children. The method used was a literature review. Data collection was done through literature searches in different databases PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science and Google Scholar and a manual search through reference lists. The search resulted in 18 relevant scientific articles, and was limited to articles that were no more than 11 years old and written in English or Swedish. The result from the analysis gave three main categories which are: 'Structure in everyday life gives a good feeling', 'Activities for pleasure can increase participation', 'School as support for finding new roles'. The result showed the importance of activities for unaccompanied refugee children, as they were perceived to have a positive impact on health and to give more energy and recovery. It also emerged that activities contributed to participation, balance and better health. The results showed the importance of activity for unaccompanied refugee children. Conclusions to be drawn from this study is to make the needed support visible for the refugee children in terms of activity training and that the creation of meaningful activities and that these may prevent or reduce loss of activity. Further research on activity needs  for unaccompanied refugee children is needed, to highlight and develop what occupational therapists  can contribute with in form of using the activity as a goal and means to facilitate the unaccompanied refugee children in their situation.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka ensamkommande pojkars erfarenhet av att leva och flytta från ett HVB i en svensk kommun. Semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med fem personer som tidigare har varit placerade på HVB. Resultaten visade att genom placering på HVB gavs respondenterna möjlighet att träffa andra ensamkommande som befinner sig i en liknande situation, vilket skapade en känsla av trygghet. Studien visade vidare att stöttning av personal på boendet under place-ringen och i förberedelserna för att flytta från HVB och bli självständiga vuxna, var mycket betydelsefullt. Studien visar att respondenterna i stort haft en positiv upple-velse av att ha varit placerade på HVB. / The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate unaccompanied minors ex-perience of living and moving from a group home in a Swedish municipality. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with five individuals who previ-ously have been placed in a group home. The results showed that through placement in the group home the respondents had an opportunity to meet other unaccompanied minors and share a similar situation, which created a sense of security. The results showed further that received support from the staff, during the placement and in preparations to move from the group home and become independent, was of vital importance. The results indicate that the respondents experienced the time they spent in the group home in a positive way.

The purpose of this study has been to identify how the work is conducted in five municipal homes for care and accommodation for unaccompanied refugee youths. Five qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with six respondents who work as staff in the youth accommodation for unaccompanied refugee youths. The results were analyzed based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The results showed a spread among the youths where some had difficulties with the most basic needs such as eating and sleeping, while other young people had worked their way up in the hierarchy and were on the top of the stairs working for self-actualization. / Syftet med den här studien har varit att kartlägga hur arbetet ser ut på fem kommunala hem för vård och boende för ensamkommande flyktingungdomar. Fem kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med sex respondenter som arbetar som personal på ungdomsboenden för ensamkommande flyktingungdomar. Resultatet analyserades med utgångspunkt i Maslows behovstrappa. Resultatet visade en spridning bland ungdomarna där en del har svårigheter med de mest grundläggande behoven såsom matintag och sömn, medan andra ungdomar har arbetat sig upp till behovstrappans högsta punkt och arbetar för självförverkligande.

The study aimed to investigate the characterization of unaccompanied child refuges in two of Sweden’s leading newspapers by analyzing the rhetoric used in publications. The empirical material was collected from Aftonbladet and Expresses’s databases and was limited to 50 electronically published leaders, debate and news articles for the period of September 2015 up to February 2016. The empirical analysis was based on Norman Fairclough’s interpretation of critical discourse analysis, CDA and the theoretical discourse concept of power, knowledge and stigma. The result of the study showed two recurring themes within the discourse of unaccompanied child refugees titled “victim” and “prisoner”. Description within the themes portrayed the children as exposed, affected and involuntary addicts as well as criminal, violent and threatening. The portrayal of the children effected human perception, attitudes and actions toward the group. Media is described to have an undeniable impact on the creation of human perceptions, believes and attitudes. By doing so, the portrayal of children as perpetrators can have a negative impact on human processes, which however can be altered by nuances given to the subject by the portrayal of the children as victims.

The purpose of this study is to understand the collaboration between the head of unit, coordinators and accommodation supervisors in a residential care homes for children. It also aims to critically analyze how the staff experience the effects of an increased workload which caused the organization to the reorganize. This requires good interaction between the different functions in the organization which is the primary focus of this study. The study analyzes how the reorganization affects collaboration between the professions and examines what effect the organizations’ different functions have on collaboration. The coordinator has a new function in the organization and that involves a new condition that needs to be emphasized. The study is based on seven semi-structured interviews. Theories that have been the basis for the analysis is Lipskys theories of street-level bureaucracy and discretion as well as interaction based on i.a. Danemarks theories. The result of the essay shows that the professions are effected by the increased work overload. They therefor request clearness in their function and role in the organization. Simply the time is not enough and major difficulties occur for the personal to handle the lodge and at the same time have time for the children living there. The reorganization is also an effect of the collaboration between the professions.

ABSTRACT UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEE MINORS AND THEIR STRATEGIES TO NAVIGATE A NEW WORLD: A GROUNDED THEORY By Justin Scott Lee A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012 Chair: Pamela J. Kovacs, Ph.D. Associate Professor This study explored how unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) define success. The population of URMs consists of individuals who, through forced migration from their country of origin, were resettled in the United States through the URM program. Little is known about the ways in which refugee adolescents view the resettlement process once they have left the URM program. Through a traditional grounded theory method, 15 interviews with former URMs were conducted with the aim of laying the groundwork for a theory that would explain how success is defined, the unique challenges URMs face, the mechanisms for overcoming challenges, and the role that culture plays in the resettlement process.

The Czech Republic's care system for unaccompanied minors rests on a solid legal framework. However, it is essential to ensure that the common practice reflects the law, and that unaccompanied minors (further referred to as UAMs) are provided with sufficient care. It is obvious that the Facility for Children of Foreign Nationals - Permon, is still far from ideal. In general, unaccompanied minors should not be traumatized by living together with children who suffer from behaviour disorders, nor should they live in isolated environment. It is vital to consider the qualities of the personnel who work with the target group and their language skills. It is further necessary to provide unaccompanied minors with an early psychotherapeutic care in order to avoid their later hospitalizations in psychiatric hospitals. In addition, UAMs should also attend intensive courses of the Czech language so that they can fully integrate into a Czech school as early as possible. It also emerged that a legal regulation which would govern age tests in all resorts is necessary. Therefore, a new concept of how UAMs should be integrated into the Czech society is needed.

The aim of this study was to explore some social workers’ and psychologists’ perspectives ontheir collaboration concerning unaccompanied refugee children. More specifically; in which situations do the social workers and psychologists collaborate with each other in their work with unaccompanied refugee children and what challenges and possibilities do they describe in their collaborative work? This qualitative study was carried out in one municipality in Sweden with a high quantity of unaccompanied refugee children. Three social workers and two psychologists were interviewed. The interviewees described existing collaboration between the two professions when working with unaccompanied refugee children as regarding the young person ́s health. Most often the collaboration was described as taking place in so called sip-meetings that is an obligatory meeting between the two professions regarding the young person's health. However, also challenges regarding their collaboration as lack of resources and communication between these two professions emerged and are discussed.