I denna uppsats vänder vi siktet mot de professionella vuxna som arbetar med ensamkommande flyktingbarn. Syftet med studien är att skapa förståelse för och synliggöra den professionella socialarbetarebs åsikter och erfarenheter kring sitt arbete och med det som utgångspunkt problematisera bemötandets betydelse för ensamkommande barns etablering/integration i Sverige. Bakgrunden till studien återfinns kring en förförståelse kring en bristande integrationspolitik och att individer med invnadrarbakgrund många gånger hamnar i utanförskap genom majoritetens utmålande av invandrare som främmande och kulturellt avvikande. Arbetet med uppstasen bygger på en kvalitativ ansats där empirin baseras på intervjuer.Resultatet påvisar integrationens komplexitet och att personalen upplever att de saknar strategier för det integrationsfrämjande arbetet. I tolkningen av empirin kan vi utläsa flertalet motsägelser däribland att ansvaret för integrationen åläggs den enskilde individen samtidigt som informanterna ger uttryck för nödvändigheten av ett ömsesidigt bemötande. Utifrån ett intersektionellt perspektiv och en postkolonial begreppsapparat påvisar vi hur det sociala arbetets struktur skapar barriärer för ensamkommande barns möjligheter till en gynnsam etablering. Vi menar att den sociala praktiken befäster ett "Vi" och ett "Dom" genom ett normativt ställningstagande där ensamkommande barn konstrueras som "de andra". En viktig aspekt att uppmärksamma är synen på att ensamkommande barn en dag ska betala tillbaka till det svenska samhället. Vi finner denna syn problematisk och menar att en attitydförändring är nödvändig för att skapa goda grunder för en gynnsam etableringsprocess fri från fördomar kring ensamkommande barns främlingskap.

This two-part small-scale research is positioned within a social constructionist interpretive epistemology. Both parts of the research used qualitative methods. Part One explores the perspectives of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in relation to their educational experiences in the UK. It also considers the experiences, opportunities and challenges for school and college staff with supporting the educational needs of UASC in a shire county in England. The methodology employed to collect the data for Part One consisted of semi-structured interviews with six professionals and the ‘Talking Stones’ (Wearmouth, 2004) interview technique with six UASC. For Part Two of the research, a Collaborative Action Research (CAR) approach was used consisting of one cycle of three group supervision sessions with five professionals from Part One. Within the group supervision sessions, a Solution Circles framework was implemented and participants were encouraged to prepare cases to discuss and collaboratively problem solve. The benefits to supporting the needs of UASC by introducing professionals to the process of group supervision are also explored. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) interpretation of Thematic Analysis was employed across both phases as a method of data analysis. This enabled themes to be identified which emerged from the data. Two key findings were discovered to play a significant role in the UASC’s social and emotional wellbeing: the uncertainty of the UASC’s future in relation to their unresolved asylum status and their acquisition and fluency of English language. The latter is discussed in relation to how fully the students felt able to integrate and communicate their needs. Barriers to language also link closely to students accessing the curriculum and their experience of inclusion within the setting. An array of opportunities and challenges of supporting the social and emotional needs of UASC are outlined by school and college staff. Such findings include: recognising and identifying the social and emotional needs of UASC, a lack of experience and opportunities for staff training, challenges with inclusion and integration of UASC within the educational settings, funding and available resources, developing supportive and trusting relationships over time and forming social connections. Within the paper, these findings are explored in relation to Bronfenbrenner’s (1979; 1989) Ecological Systems Theory. Implications for educational professionals and for educational psychology practitioners are discussed.

This thesis aims to bring to light the perceptions of mentalities of government through the eyes of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in Sweden. It also seeks to offer some insight and reflections from a custodian perspective. Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children that come to Sweden are entitled to the same rights as the children holding citizenships in Sweden. The right to be heard and listened to is enshrined in the Convention of the Rights of the Child and holds great value during the asylum-process. Thus, the enforcement of these rights, among other rights, shows to be challenging in practice when scrutinizing the asylum process. With a pluralistic theoretical approach, leaning on the works of Hannah Arendt and Jacques Derrida, along with the narratives shared by the informants, this study aims to uncover the probabilities of feeling helpless during the asylum process, it also seeks to explore how mechanisms of power relations and control are configured according to the informants. Most laws regarding securing rights for refugees are formed by international organizations and constituted by national politicians. These laws operate to gain control at the hand of legality, thus the restrictiveness has been at the expense of the child’s best interest. As I believe more initiatives should be taken within the field of migration policy, by having unaccompanied asylum-seeking children as the point of departure, this study is an endeavor to help give them a voice.

The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) has increased significantly in Sweden since the summer of 2006. Due to Sweden’s high rate of asylum application approvals, it has become a main destination country. Concurrently, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have decreased in other more traditional European destination countries, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway. The majority of the UASC come from Afghanistan and Somalia. There is insufficient knowledge regarding these children’s reasons and patterns for the migration to Sweden. This is a case study based on semi-structured interviews with key informants that have been strategically chosen for this study. The Migration System theory, which is based on key mechanisms of the globalization theory, is used in this study. Restricted asylum regulations in Western countries have created a “migratory industry” with human smugglers, which facilitate and expand the irregular migration. The migratory industry greatly influences the children’s choice of destination. Without the assistance of human smugglers, a migration would be impossible for these children. The conclusion of this study demonstrates the importance of informal social networks that are the reason behind the increase of UASC in Sweden.

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.

The aim of the study was to examine collaboration and professional perspectives on the best interest of the child in regards to working with unaccompanied asylum seeking children. Firstly, our result show that counselling is available for the unaccompanied children from case workers, staff, school counsellors and emergency psychiatric care. All of the participants in this study describe the need for long-term counselling for unaccompanied children, however, providing the long-term counselling is not the primary purpose of the organisations in question. Therefore an additional service-provider working with counselling is a necessity. Secondly, the study explores the participants’ professional perspectives on the best interest of the child. The participating professionals work with the best interest of the child in accordance with their level of education and professional role. At the same time, they stress the fact that time, resources and other factors have an influence on their ability to keep the best interest of the child in focus. Finally, the study addresses collaboration between the service providing organisations. Collaboration does exist, but the participants wish for a development and transparency in the collaboration in order to clarify the responsibilities of each organisation. / Studiens syfte var att undersöka samverkan och professionellas perspektiv på barnets bästa i arbetet med ensamkommande barn genom besvarandet av tre frågeställningar. Den första frågeställningen rör de möjligheter till psykosocialt stöd som finns för ensamkommande barn. Vårt resultat visar att möjligheter finns i form av stöd hos handläggare, personal och skolkurator samt BUPs akutmottagning. Verksamheternas primära syfte är dock inte långsiktigt behandlande stödsamtal, vilket är något som samtliga respondenter anser att många ensamkommande barn är i behov av. Det behövs alltså ytterligare en aktör vars syfte är att arbeta med psykosocialt stöd för dessa barn. Den andra frågeställningen undersöker hur respondenterna ser på begreppet barnets bästa utifrån sitt professionella perspektiv. Samtliga respondenter har uppgett att de arbetar efter bästa förmåga i relation till sin yrkesroll och utbildningsnivå. Respondenterna påtalar samtidigt att tid, resurser och andra omgivningsfaktorer påverkar deras möjligheter att arbeta för barnets bästa. Studiens sista frågeställning berör samverkan mellan de verksamheter som tagit del i studien. Resultatet belyser att samverkan mellan verksamheterna existerar, men att respondenterna önskar en utveckling och transparens i samverkan för att tydliggöra samtligas uppgifter.

Syftet med studien är att utveckla kunskap om hur personalen på boenden för ensamkommande barn utifrån empowerment arbetar med att möjliggöra de ensamkommande barnens delaktighet, inklusion och integration i samhället. Vidare syftar studien även till att belysa hur personalen på boenden själva ser på detta arbete. De frågeställningarna som belyses i studien är: Vad i arbetet med förhållningsätt skapar möjlighet till ensamkommande barns delaktighet i samhället, enligt personal på boenden för ensamkommande barn? Finns det skillnader mellan personal på HVB- boenden om vad man anser om att arbeta med delaktighetsfrämjande arbete? Om ja, kan dessa skillnader då förklaras med kön, ålder, utbildning, erfarenhet etc. av att arbeta med ensamkommande barn? Metoder som används i studien har en kvantitativ och kvalitativ ansats och innehåller en enkätundersökning och tre intervjuer gjorda med boendepersonalen i Kalmar län. Resultatet tolkas utifrån teorin empowerment och förklaras med hjälp av begreppen delaktighet, inklusion och integration. Analysen av studien utgår från dessa begrepp, tidigare forskning och teorin samt förklaras med hjälp av grafer och tabeller konstruerade i SPSS- dataprogram och tolkning av tre intervjuer. Studiens resultat visar att boendepersonal har ett respekterande förhållningssätt i mötet med de ensamkommande barnen. Studien belyser betydelsen av boendepersonalens lyhördhet inför barnens synpunkter, vikten av att vara konsekvent, bekräftande samt besitta förmågan att kunna se helheten. Resultatet visar även att trygghet och tillit är viktiga egenskaper i boendepersonalens förhållningssätt som skapar möjligheter för ensamkommande barnens delaktighet i olika sammanhang, vilket bidrar till social inklusion och samtidigt ökad acceptans och integrering i samhället. Resultatet åskådliggör att det inte finns några signifikanta skillnader mellan personalen i vad man anser om att arbeta med delaktighetsfrämjande arbete. Vår slutsats är att boendepersonalen i Kalmar län har ett positivt förhållningssätt som skapar möjligheter för ensamkommande barnens delaktighet och inkludering i gemenskaper som vidare leder till integration i samhället. / The purpose of this study is to develop knowledge of how the professional staff works with unaccompanied asylum seeking children and by the empowerment perspective work to allow the children's participation, inclusion and integration into society. Furthermore, the study aims also to highlight how the residential staff at HVB-homes themselves regards this work. The issues highlighted are: What in the work approach creates opportunities for unaccompanied children's participation in society, according to residential staff at HVB-homes? Is there differences between residential staff at HVB-homes on what one thinks about working with participative work? If so, can these differences be explained by gender, age, education, experience, etc. in working with unaccompanied minors? Methods used in the study have a quantitative and a qualitative approach and includes a survey and three interviews conducted with residential staff at HVB-homes in Kalmar County. The result is interpreted by the empowerment perspective and explained by means of the concepts of participation, inclusion and integration. The analysis of the study is based on our concepts, previous research and theory and are interpreted using graphs constructed in SPSS software and interpretation of the three interviews. The result of the studie show us that residential staff have a respectful attitude in their approach to the unaccompanied children. The study illustrates the residential staffs sensitivity to children's views, the importance of being consistent, affirmative and to possess the ability to see in a comprehensive view. The results also show that security and trust are important features of the residential staff attitudes that creates potential for the children participate in different contexts, which contributes to social inclusion and simultaneously increased acceptance and integration into society. The result of the study illustrates that there are no significant differences between staff in what one believes about working with participative work. Our conclusion is that residential staff in Kalmar County has a positive approach that creates opportunities for the unaccompanied children's participation and inclusion in communities that lead to integration into society.

The aim of this study was to examine constructions of the guardianship to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. More specifically its aim was to, through the guardians’ perspective, understand and analyze how they construct the guardianship. The study was based on individual semi-structured interviews with questions concerning the guardianship and the role as a guardian. Seven interview-participants, who are active as guardians in diverse municipalities in southern Sweden, are included in this study. The analysis was based on how the guardians describe the assignments in the guardianship, the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and their needs and how they describe the relationship to them. As a conclusion we found two different constructions of the guardianship; one characterized by a guardianship based on limits, distance, clarity of role and assignments and a guardian similar to a tutor. The other perspective is characterized by a guardianship based on no limits for assignments, a close and familiar relationship to the children and a guardian similar to a parent or a friend. We found that the guardians are dominated by different types of social actions that affect the guardianship based on how they constructed the guardianship, the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and the relationship.

Due to on going wars and conflicts in the world, the number of people seeking asylum in other countries has increased. Including a large group of unaccompanied minors which is described as ”children who left their country without their parents or a significant other”. In 2015, nearly 35,000 unaccompanied children arrived in Sweden seeking asylum, whereupon the majority arrived in the last months of the year. The large number resulted in an extreme pressure upon the Swedish municipalities, to successfully receive all unaccompanied children. And fulfill their organizational mission according to the Swedish legislation. Therefore the purpose of the study is to establish a deeper understanding of how a social service, organizationally handled an increase in the number of unaccompanied children. A qualitative method was used, consisting semi-structured interviews with nine respondents from or related to the social services. The data of the study were analyzed using a thematic analysis, meaning a search for patterns to create themes and subthemes. The results of the study show that the increase number of unaccompanied minors were experienced and had to be handled as a crisis. The bureaucratic structure of the social service became problematic and constituted an obstacle in the efforts to receive the unaccompanied children. Including a difficulty to follow existing laws and regulations. To resolve the situation the social service had to be flexible and creative in their approach to receive the children. One conclusion is that a bureaucratic structure is not suitable in a dynamic environment that demands quick decisions and flexibility. Another conclusion is that the effort of the staff has been crucial, resolving the crisis. / Antalet människor som flyr undan krig och konflikter i världen har under den senaste tiden ökat. Av dessa människor är en stor grupp ensamkommande barn, det vill säga barn som lämnat sitt hemland utan sina föräldrar eller signifikant annan. Under 2015 anlände ca 35 000 ensamkommande barn till Sverige för att söka asyl. Majoriteten av dessa anlände under de sista månaderna på året. Det medförde ett extremt högt tryck på landets kommuner för att lyckas motta samtliga ensamkommande barn och fullfölja sitt organisatoriska uppdrag enligt den svenska lagstiftningen. Förevarande studies syfte är därmed att få en fördjupad kunskap kring hur en socialförvaltning organisatoriskt har hanterat en ökning av antalet ensamkommande barn. En kvalitativ metod har använts, bestående av semistrukturerade intervjuer med nio respondenter från eller med anknytning till socialförvaltningen. Studiens data analyserades med hjälp av en tematisk analys, där mönster eftersöktes och teman och subteman skapades. Resultatet av studien visar att den stora ökningen av ensamkommande barn upplevdes och fick hanteras som en krissituation. Förvaltningens byråkratiska struktur blev problematisk och utgjorde ett hinder i arbetet med att motta de ensamkommande barnen. Bland annat kunde inte befintliga lagar och regler följas. För att lösa situationen fick förvaltningen vara flexibel och kreativ i sitt arbetssätt. En slutsats är att en byråkratisk organisation inte lämpar sig för en dynamisk omvärld, som ställer krav på snabba beslut och flexibilitet. Därtill framgår att personalens insats inom socialförvaltningen var avgörande för att lösa krissituationen.

The aim of this study was to examine how social workers relate to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, regarding their cultural background and potential social issues. In order to achieve a more profound and comprehensive view of the social workers views regarding the separated children, we selected to execute semi structured interviews with social workers. These interviews were aimed at those social workers who performed assessments and investigations concerning unaccompanied children. We completed nine interviews which we recorded and transcribed in a strict manor. When we analyzed the empirical material, certain themes where identified as more protuberant and thus we our selection was based on what we regarded as the most relevant topics, in accordance to the aim of the study. Furthermore, our focus was set upon the social workers views regarding cultural differences between unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and Swedish children. We also decided to focus on which views these social workers portrayed, regarding the unaccompanied asylum-seeking child’s cultural background and how social issues could affect the social workers frame, their assets and formulation of their interventions, concerning separated children. We learned during our study that the social workers are enduring a heavy workload, especially since the numbers of arriving separated children are rapidly increasing. Furthermore, the economical recourses, in forms of personnel, are not increasing the same pace. In recent years, societal attitudes have altered and more negative and separative views regarding separated children are apparent. However, the social workers have applied a more universalistic approach towards the children to show the resemblances rather than differences between unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and Swedish children. Our study makes evident, that underneath this universalistic policy, culturalization of the children took form and this development also affected how the interventions were framed. Conclusively, this study displays how culturalization of the interventions affected the care of the children negatively and resulted in a declining standard of care, as well as differentiation of care.