Understanding Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness Through a Qualitative Approach

This article presents a non-experimental, exploratory study of the experiences of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC. Using a community-based participatory action approach, researchers conducted open-ended survey interviews with 57 participants, all of whom identified as persons of color. Findings offer insight on where youth stay most evenings, what precipitated youths’ most recent experience of homelessness, strategies used to cope or survive on the streets, primary service needs, and advice from youth experiencing homelessness. The youth’s family experiences were an important factor in their experiences of homelessness. Implications for social work practice, policy, and research are discussed.

Housing Insecurities and Homelessness Among Children and Unaccompanied Youth in Rural Appalachian Communities

Homelessness may have a profound impact on a child's physical, socio-emotional, and/or cognitive development. Cultural context may further exacerbate the impact of such circumstances. Past literature confirms that the Appalachian culture is distinct from mainstream America, suggesting that various interventions, including mental health treatment, may not be received similarly or have the same impact as they would in other communities. This chapter addresses how to support children and unaccompanied youth facing homelessness or housing insecurity within rural Appalachian communities. Existing research addresses the developmental consequences of homelessness; however, there is limited literature dedicated to understanding how the unique context of the Appalachian culture may affect these conditions. The aim of this chapter is to provide educators, counselors, and similar professionals with an overview regarding how to best support homeless children and unaccompanied youth within Appalachian communities.

Are the problems and motives clear enough? A study on the placement of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors at compulsory care institutions in Sweden

The Swedish National Board of Institutional Care (SNBIC) is an independent governmental agency that provides compulsory care for minors with psychosocial problems, criminal behavior, and substance abuse. During recent years, a noticeable number of the youth placed at compulsory care institutions have been asylum-seeking minors who have arrived in Sweden without parents or guardians. This steady increase in placements has raised questions and concerns among the involved actors regarding the motives and needs underlying these placements. This qualitative study investigates the main motives that lead unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors to be placed at SNBIC residential homes and the problems that are to be solved during their placement, according to social workers and SNBIC staff. The study is based on 28 in-depth interviews with social workers and SNBIC staff. Findings indicate clear disagreement between social workers and SNBIC staff with regard to the motives for placing unaccompanied minors at SNBIC homes. Although the social workers and SNBIC staff explain that most of the unaccompanied youth placed at SNBIC homes have some form of criminal behavior or substance abuse, SNBIC staff believe, in some cases, the problem is not sufficiently serious to warrant compulsory care. As these disagreements and misunderstandings between the actors have an impact on their collaboration and, consequently, the situation of the unaccompanied minors, all attempts to reach a consensus on the leading causes for placement and the problems that need to be solved with SNBIC placement would increase security for both the young people and the relevant staff.

Evaluation of the Teaching Recovery Techniques community-based intervention for unaccompanied refugee youth experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms (Swedish UnaccomPanied yOuth Refugee Trial; SUPpORT): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background In 2015, 162,877 persons sought asylum in Sweden, 35,369 of whom were unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs). Refugee children, especially URMs, have often experienced traumas and are at significant risk of developing mental health problems, such as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, which can continue years after resettlement. The Swedish UnaccomPanied yOuth Refugee Trial (SUPpORT) aims to evaluate a community-based intervention, called Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT), for refugee youth experiencing PTSD symptoms. Methods/design A randomised controlled trial will be conducted in which participants will be randomly allocated to one of two possible arms: the intervention arm (n = 109) will be offered the TRT programme, and the waitlist-control arm (n = 109) will receive services as usual, followed by the TRT programme around 20 weeks later. Outcome data will be collected at three points: pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2; about 8 weeks after randomisation) and follow-up (T3; about 20 weeks after randomisation). Discussion This study will provide knowledge about the effect and efficiency of a group intervention for URMs reporting symptoms of PTSD in Sweden. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN47820795. Prospectively registered on 20 December 2018.

Housing Insecurities and Homelessness Among Children and Unaccompanied Youth in Rural Appalachian Communities

Homelessness may have a profound impact on a child's physical, socio-emotional, and/or cognitive development. Cultural context may further exacerbate the impact of such circumstances. Past literature confirms that the Appalachian culture is distinct from mainstream America, suggesting that various interventions, including mental health treatment, may not be received similarly or have the same impact as they would in other communities. This chapter addresses how to support children and unaccompanied youth facing homelessness or housing insecurity within rural Appalachian communities. Existing research addresses the developmental consequences of homelessness; however, there is limited literature dedicated to understanding how the unique context of the Appalachian culture may affect these conditions. The aim of this chapter is to provide educators, counselors, and similar professionals with an overview regarding how to best support homeless children and unaccompanied youth within Appalachian communities.

Evaluation of the Teaching Recovery Techniques community-based intervention for unaccompanied refugee youth experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms (Swedish UnaccomPanied yOuth Refugee Trial; SUPpORT): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background In 2015, 162 877 persons sought asylum in Sweden, 35 369 of whom were unaccompanied refugee minors (URM). Refugee children, especially URM, have often experienced traumas and are at significant risk of developing mental health problems, such as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, which can continue years after resettlement. The Swedish UnaccomPanied yOuth Refugee Trial (SUPpORT) aims to evaluate a community-based intervention, called ‘Teaching Recovery Techniques’ (TRT), for refugee youth experiencing PTSD symptoms. Methods/Design A randomised controlled trial will be conducted in which participants will be randomly allocated to one of two possible arms: the intervention arm (n = 109) will be offered the TRT programme, and the waitlist-control arm (n = 109) will receive services as usual, followed by the TRT programme around 20 weeks later. Outcome data will be collected at three points: pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2; c.8 weeks after randomisation) and follow-up (T3; c.20 weeks after randomisation). Discussion This study will provide knowledge about the effect and efficiency of a group intervention for URM reporting symptoms of PTSD in Sweden.

Evaluation of the Teaching Recovery Techniques community-based intervention for unaccompanied refugee youth experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms (Swedish UnaccomPanied yOuth Refugee Trial; SUPpORT): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background In 2015, 162 877 persons sought asylum in Sweden, 35 369 of whom were unaccompanied refugee minors (URM). Refugee children, especially URM, have often experienced traumas and are at significant risk of developing mental health problems, such as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, which can continue years after resettlement. The Swedish UnaccomPanied yOuth Refugee Trial (SUPpORT) aims to evaluate a community-based intervention, called ‘Teaching Recovery Techniques’ (TRT), for refugee youth experiencing PTSD symptoms. Methods/Design A randomised controlled trial will be conducted in which participants will be randomly allocated to one of two possible arms: the intervention arm (n = 109) will be offered the TRT programme, and the waitlist-control arm (n = 109) will receive services as usual, followed by the TRT programme around 20 weeks later. Outcome data will be collected at three points: pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2; c.8 weeks after randomisation) and follow-up (T3; c.20 weeks after randomisation). Discussion This study will provide knowledge about the effect and efficiency of a group intervention for URM reporting symptoms of PTSD in Sweden.

Migration regimes and border controls: the crisis in Europe

This chapter explores the diversity of migration regimes with reference to unaccompanied child migrants to reveal how they are forced to navigate complex legal systems, and the regulatory frameworks that are supposed to provide them with support and protection, but which all too often fail to deliver. The first section examines the role of scale in the development and implementation of migration regulations for unaccompanied youth. The chapter then considers border practices and the effects of off-shoring to process migrants applying for asylum, or as an attempt to reduce immigration. The chapter then focuses on the case of unaccompanied minors who came to Calais as part of their intended journey to the UK. The chapter argues that laws which are supposed to protect unaccompanied young people are not implemented in full, and that young people are not able to access the support which would enable them to benefit from these laws.