What are the experiences of education for unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in the UK?

BACKGROUND: The number of refugees worldwide has increased in recent years, and with this, there has been an increase in the numbers of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors (UASMs) in the UK. Refugees have been found to experience notable difficulties upon resettlement, and there is evidence to suggest that education can provide a supportive role for young refugees. Although there has been research that has found that UASMs value education, there has been less research that has directly looked at the experiences of education for UASMs. METHODS: In the present study, six UASMs were interviewed and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used as a methodology to analyse the data. RESULTS: Five themes were identified: education facilitating socializing; education and English proficiency leading to a better life in the UK; the impact of transitions; the impact of external stressors; and a desire for additional resources to learn at one's own pace. CONCLUSIONS: Participants within the present research expressed a strong desire for additional resources that would allow them to learn at their own pace. They also emphasized how transitions between different settings and external stressors had an impact on their experiences of education. The links between coping strategies and the participant's asylum status are also discussed with reference to relevant research in the field.

Reading and numeracy attainment of children reported to child protection services: A population record linkage study controlling for other adversities.

BACKGROUND: Maltreated children are at risk of poor educational outcomes, but also experience greater individual, family, and neighbourhood adversities that may obscure an understanding of relationships between child protection involvement and educational attainment. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between child protection involvement and 3rd- and 5th-grade reading and numeracy attainment, while controlling multiple other adversities. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants were 56,860 Australian children and their parents from the New South Wales Child Development Study with linked multi-agency records. METHODS: Multinomial logistic regressions examined associations between level of child protection involvement (Out-Of-Home Care [OOHC] placement; substantiated Risk Of Significant Harm [ROSH]; unsubstantiated ROSH; non-ROSH; and no child protection report) and standardised tests of 3rd- and 5th-grade reading and numeracy. Fully adjusted models controlled demographic, pregnancy, birth, and parental factors, and early (kindergarten) developmental vulnerabilities on literacy and numeracy, and other developmental domains (social, emotional, physical, communication). RESULTS: All children with child protection reports were more likely to attain below average, and less likely to attain above average, 3rd- and 5th-grade reading and numeracy, including children with reports below the ROSH threshold. Children with substantiated ROSH reports who were not removed into care demonstrated the worst educational attainment, with some evidence of protective effects for children in OOHC. CONCLUSIONS: A cross-agency response to supporting educational attainment for all children reported to child protection services is required, including targeted services for children in OOHC or with substantiated ROSH reports, and referral of vulnerable families (unsubstantiated and non-ROSH cases) to secondary service organisations (intermediate intervention).

Aplicación de los programas basados en la evidencia al trabajo profesional con familias con menores en riesgo en España / No disponible

Se pretende valorar la utilidad y viabilidad de aplicar programas basados en la evidencia (PBE) dirigidos a menores en situación de riesgo a la realidad española de la intervención desde Servicios Sociales. Partiendo de la base de datos de The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare se aplican criterios de viabilidad para la aplicación de programas en el desarrollo del trabajo de Equipos de Tratamiento Familiar (ETF) de Andalucía, tomados como un ejemplo de servicio del sistema público de Servicios Sociales de España. Se identifican los programas que pueden ser más útiles para profesionales de España y qué pueden aportar para enriquecer su trabajo. Los resultados señalan que las situaciones en las que hay más variedad de programas susceptibles de aplicar son las de menores con conductas disruptivas y consumo de tóxicos a partir de 12 años de edad. No obstante, la aplicación de PBE al entorno español aún tiene muchas limitaciones que derivan de la forma de entender los servicios sociales para menores en riesgo en EE.UU. y Europa

The aim of this study is the evaluation of the serviceability and viability, in the Spanish public social service reality, of the application of evidence-based programs (EBP) for at-risk children. The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare data base, together with viability criteria, are applied to find out which programs are better suited to be used by practitioners of Family Treatment Teams. In this paper attention is paid to the most useful programs and how they can contribute to the Spanish practioners’ work. The problems that are more thoroughly covered with EBPs meeting viability criteria are conduct problems and substance abuse in over-12 year old individuals. Nevertheless, the EBPs implementation in the Spanish context suffers from a series of limitations that spring, ultimately, from the differences between USA and Europe in their understanding of public social services and how they manage the situations of at-risk children and their families

Actitudes y dinámicas de robo en uncolegio de nivel socioeconómico medio-alto / Theft attitudes and dynamics in an upper-middle socioeconomic level school / Atitudes e dinâmica de roubo numa escola do nível socioeconômico médio-alto

El robo escolar es un problema muy común en colegios de todas las localidades de Bogotá. Con el propósito de profundizar sobre este fenómeno, se realizaron encuestas, entrevistas y grupos focales con noventa estudiantes de un colegio privado de nivel socioeconómico medio-alto. Los resultados indicaron que los robos en este colegio se realizan, por lo general, de manera espontánea e individual, y que los objetos robados se utilizan para uso personal y no para la venta. A pesar de que la mayoría de los estudiantes rechazan los robos, algunos minimizan su gravedad cuando la víctima tiene muchos recursos o presume de sus posesiones, o si ha dejado sus objetos descuidados. Estos resultados contrastan con un estudio similarrealizado previamente en una escuela con presencia de pandillas juveniles, el cual mostró que los robos eran realizados de manera planeada por grupos de estudiantes que dividían sus roles y vendían lo robado por fuera del colegio. A pesar de las diferencias entre colegios, la presente investigación resalta la necesidad de que se tomen en serio las denuncias de los estudiantes, se apliquen normas de manera consistente, se promueva empatía frente a las víctimas y se cuestionen justificaciones que minimizan la gravedad de los robos.

School theft is a very common problem at schools in all areas of Bogota. For the purpose of delving into this issue,surveys, interviews and focus groups were carried out with ninety students of a private upper-middle socioeconomic level school, and results showed that robberies and thefts taking place there are generally of a spontaneous and individual nature, and stolen objects intended for personal use, not for sale.Nevertheless, although most students reject these activities, they tend to minimize their seriousness particularly if the victims own significant resources or boast about their possessions or tend to be careless and leave their things behind. In contrast, the results of a similar study previously carried out in a school affected with the presence of youth gangs showed that thefts were carefully planned by groups of students playing different roles; stolen objects were then sold outside tablishments, current research stresses the fact that student complaints need to be taken seriously and empathy promoted towards the victims; rules must be applied consistently while questioning and rejecting any justifications leading to minimize the seriousness of these acts.

O roubo escolar é um problema comum nas escolas em todas as localidades de Bogotá. Para investigar esse fenômeno, realizaramse foram pesquisas, entrevistas e grupos focais com noventa alunos de uma escola privada de nível socioeconômico médio-alto. Os resultados indicaram que os roubos nesta escola são feitos, em geral, de jeito individual e espontâneo e que os objetos roubados são usados para uso pessoal e não para venda. Enquanto a maioria dos alunos rejeita o roubo, alguns minimizam sua gravidade quando a vítima tem muitos recursos ou gaba-se das suas posses, ou se deixou seus objetos abandonados. Esses resultados contrastam com um estudo semelhante realizado anteriormente em uma escola com a presença de gangues de jovens, que mostrou que os roubos foram feitos na maneira pretendida por grupos de estudantes que dividiam seus papéis e vendiam os objetos roubados fora da escola. Apesar das diferenças entre escolas, esta pesquisa destaca a necessidade de que as queixas dos alunos levamse a sério, usam-se as regras consistentemente, promovase a empatia com as vítimas e desafiemse as justificativas que minimizam a gravidade dos roubos.

Minors travelling alone: a risk group for human trafficking?

Minors travelling without their parent(s) or guardian are an increasing phenomenon. Although their travel objectives might differ importantly, varying from holiday purposes to migration objectives, an important subgroup of them might be at risk to fall into exploitative circumstances, such as human trafficking. Studying the group of minors travelling alone arriving at Brussels Airport (Belgium), this research investigates the population's characteristics, the procedures used, and the risks some of these minors run of falling into exploitative situations. Firstly, registration revealed that tens of thousands minors travelling alone arrive at Brussels Airport each year, with an important part of them coming from African countries. Secondly, participant observations showed that detection of possible cases of human trafficking is a very complex issue, resulting in the alarming hypothesis that many cases of trafficking of minors travelling alone might not be detected during their journey or at their arrival at the airport.

Minors in name only: child laborers on the diamond mines of the "Companhia de Diamantes de Angola" (Diamang), 1917-1975.

Although African men and women comprised the vast majority of the labor force on Angola's colonial-era diamond mines, child laborers, or "minors," also played important roles, primarily as mineworkers and plantation laborers. While these young male and female laborers' daily tasks were often lighter than those assigned to adult males, they often worked side-by-side with more senior workers and were equally subject to physical abuse, poor rations, and injuries. Similarly, minors also employed many of the same strategies as their more senior coworkers to better their lives. Their experiences suggest that these young laborers were minors in name only.

Un remedio contra la delincuencia: el trabajo infantil en las instituciones de encierro de la ciudad de México durante la posrevolución / A remedy against the delinquency: the infantile work in the institutions of confinement of the city of México during the posrevolution

En la Ciudad de México, durante el periodo posrevolucionario la terapéutica del trabajo se impuso frente a otros tratamientos como forma de prevenir y corregir lo que se consideraba una enfermedad social: la delicuencia infantil. Mietras miles de niños ocuparon los campos de cultivo de las escuelas granjas y las decenas de talleres de las correccionales y escuelas industriales. La mano de obra de los niños de los sectores populares fue utilizada en establecimientos de 'protección' a la infancia como retribución a lo que recebían en estos lugares. Bajo la lógica del trabajo como regenerador de un cuerpo y una mente enferma, se pretendió convertir a los niños infractores en los futuros trabajadores y de esa forma incorporados al proyecto económico del Estado mexicano. [AU]

When disclosing a serious diagnosis to a minor conflicts with family values.

An 11-year old Asian-Indian boy was recently discovered to have acute myelogenous leukemia. The pediatric hematologist-oncologist arranged a meeting to inform the parents about the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. The physician planned to include the child in this process. However, the child's father, a computer programmer, made a request that his son should not be informed about the diagnosis of leukemia. The father asked that his son should be told that he has a severe infection and will require intensive treatment. The oncologist then informed the father that, as a physician, she has the responsibility to truthfully disclose the diagnosis to a patient, and she insisted on informing the child about the leukemia in an open and truthful manner.

Foster youth emancipating from care: caseworkers' reports on needs and services.

This article presents findings from a survey mailed to caseworkers, who answered questions about special needs, independent living skills, educational attainment, and services for 416 randomly selected foster youth in Illinois. A third of the adolescents had a mental health disorder, developmental disability, or other special need that their caseworkers believed would interfere with their ability to live independently. Additionally, urban youth were underserved relative to other youth. Youth with more behavior problems and educational and job skill deficits were less likely than other youth to continue to receive child welfare services past age 18, suggesting that services must be provided throughout adolescence to meet the needs of the most vulnerable clients.

Understanding adolescents: a guide for researchers.

The research establishment often has a "one size fits all" mentality with regard to the research process (Broome, Richards, & Hall, 2001). Consent processes are standardized, and federal regulations have been established to protect both adults and children. As a research population, however, adolescents often are conceptualized as children. Adolescents represent a vulnerable study population. To effectively and ethically involve adolescents in research, researchers must understand and integrate knowledge of the variability in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial developmental factors, as well as an understanding of the research processes needed to protect adolescents. Adolescents need to be active participants in the decision-making process (e.g., assent/consent, knowledge of the risks and benefits, etc.). Researchers must be aware of and accountable for the power they hold in influencing adolescents' decisions to participate in research, and they must bear in mind that the voluntary and informed consent principles may be easily and inadvertently violated (Nelson & Rushton, 2001).

Dimensões da violência contra crianças e adolescentes, apreendidas do discurso de professoras e cuidadoras / Dimensions of violence against children and adolescents gathered from the discourse of teachers and caretakers

Neste estudo exploratório-descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa, objetivou-se investigar a percepção de cuidadoras de uma Instituição de Educação Infantil e professoras de uma Escola de Ensino Fundamental acerca do conceito de violência, bem como a conduta por elas adotada, frente a situações de violência contra crianças e adolescentes. Os dados foram coletados em agosto de 2004, por meio de entrevista semi-estruturada, gravada e transcrita. Constatou-se que as informantes reconhecem violência tanto física quanto psicológica na interação família e crianças, bem como das crianças entre si e referem a negligência como forma de violência. Quanto à atuação das cuidadoras e professoras, percebeu-se a naturalização da violência. O estudo fornece subsídios para atuação de enfermagem frente a situações de violência contra criança e adolescente em instituições educacionais e apresenta a Consulta de Enfermagem como instrumento metodológico capaz de subsidiar as condutas a serem adotadas...

The aim of this descriptive exploratory study based on a qualitative approach was to investigate the perception of caretakers of an Infantile Education Institution and of teachers of a Primary School regarding the concept of violence, as well as the conduct adopted by them in relation to violent situations against children and adolescents. The data were collected in August of 2004 through a semi-structured interview, which was recorded and subsequently transcribed. The ethical precepts of the Resolution 196/96 were followed. It was verified that the informants recognize physical and psychological violence in the interaction between family and children, as well as between children themselves, referring to negligence as a form of violence. As for the performance of the caretakers and teachers, a naturalization of violence was noticed. The study offers subsidies for nursing performance in relation to situations of violence against children and adolescents in educational institutions and presents the Nursing Consultation as a methodological instrument capable of subsidizing the conducts to be adopted...

En este estudio exploratorio descriptivo, de tipo cualitativo, se tuvo como objetivo investigar la percepción de las cuidadoras de un jardin infantil y las profesoras de una escuela primária acerca del concepto de la violencia, así como de la conducta adoptada por estas, frente a las situaciones de violencias contra los niños y adolescentes. Los datos fueron recoletados en agosto del 2004 a través de la entrevista semi-estructurada. Se verificó que las participantes del estudio reconocen la violencia física y psicológica en la interacción entre la familia y los niños, así como entre los propios niños entre si y manifestan la negligencia como una forma de violencia. En cuanto a la actuación de las cuidadoras y las profesoras, se notó la naturalización de la violencia. El estudio proporciona los subsidios para la actuación de las enfermeras frente a las situaciones de violencias contra el niño y adolescente en las instituciones educativas y presenta la Consulta de Enfermería como el instrumento metodológico capaz de ajudar a las conductas a ser adoptadas....