Between protection and exclusion: Separated child migrants' care relationships and caring practices

这一项目的前景在于产生能够分析和提供解决我们这个时代最大的全球挑战之一的方法的知识：受跨国流离失所和移徙影响的儿童的照料和福祉。它将提供对英格兰离散移民儿童的照顾的洞察，首先假设照顾不一定局限于成年人或国家提供的照顾。我们的试点研究表明，失散的移徙儿童在移民和定居的挑战中生存下来的一个关键途径是通过他们提供的照顾和从其他移徙儿童那里得到的照顾。使用创造性的研究方法，让离散的移民儿童和成年利益相关者反思他们对护理的理解和经验，该项目将不仅指出“系统中的裂缝”(Rosen等人，2017年)，还将就什么是良好做法以及如何发展提供见解。该项目的背景是全球超过6560万人流离失所，其中许多是儿童。虽然有些人与成年家庭成员一起搬迁，但在移徙过程中在某个时候与主要照顾者分离的人数急剧上升(联合国儿童基金会，2016)。在法律和政策背景下，我们通常被称为“无人陪伴的未成年人”，我们使用“失散儿童移民”一词来强调，许多儿童在移民过程中的不同时刻保持着跨国关系或与父母团聚，并且经常有其他亲属和非亲属的成年人和儿童(罗森，即将到来)陪同。当失散的移民儿童到达英国时，他们面临着相互冲突的待遇。他们作为“儿童”受到保护，并有权与所有其他儿童一样享有照看的权利。但是，由于他们是“移民”(Crafter，即将出版)，他们经常被视为“嫌疑犯”，被排除在福利提供之外。以前的研究强调，移民管制和保护之间的紧张关系导致为失散的移徙儿童提供的护理质量有很大差异。有关失散移民儿童的新政策和指导正在回应和改变英国处理这些紧张局势的方式，其后果尚不得而知。在任何情况下，他们都没有考虑到孩子们对彼此的照顾。关于离散儿童在相互矛盾、复杂和多变的移民和福利制度中相互照顾的情况，人们知之甚少。我们也不知道相关的成年利益攸关方，包括社会工作者、寄养照顾者、教育工作者、青年工作者、宗教领袖、法律专业人员和政策制定者，是如何理解和对待失散儿童相互照顾的。我们的试点研究表明，这种忽视意味着旨在支持失散儿童移民的政策和做法最终可能会伤害、排斥或歧视他们。例如，相互照顾的儿童可能在寄养机构被迫分开，在试图团聚的过程中走失，或者他们的孩子身份受到质疑。对此，该项目做出了必要和及时的干预。这项研究以失散儿童为中心，问：失散儿童移民在关心和照顾他人方面有哪些经历？各种经济、社会和政治因素如何决定相关利益攸关方的护理优先事项？对关怀的不同理解和实践在理论、政策和实践上有何影响？这个项目是由一个多学科研究团队与包括难民青年和Meena(为伯明翰的移民儿童和妇女)在内的一系列地方和国家慈善机构合作设计的，难民理事会、科拉姆儿童法律项目和巴纳多的咨询小组参与了这个项目。这一基础广泛的团队确保该项目将对失散移徙儿童的生活产生重大影响。

The promise of this project lies in generating knowledge that both analyses and provides ways to address one of the greatest global challenges of our time: the care and well-being of children affected by transnational displacement and migration. It will offer insights into the care of separated migrant children in England, starting from the premise that care is not necessarily limited to that provided by an adult or the state. Our pilot studies demonstrate that a crucial way separated migrant children survive the challenges of migration and settlement is through the care they provide and receive from other migrant children. Using creative research methods designed to involve separated migrant children and adult stakeholders in reflecting on their understandings and experiences of care, this project will not only point to 'cracks in the system' (Rosen et al., 2017) but offer insights into what constitutes good practice and how to develop it.This project sits against the backdrop of the displacement of over 65.6 million people globally, many of whom are children. Whilst some have moved with adult family members, the number who have been separated from primary carers at some point during their migration journeys has risen dramatically (Unicef, 2016). Often referred to as 'unaccompanied minors' in legal and policy contexts, we use the term 'separated child migrants' to highlight that many children maintain transnational relationships or reunite with parents at various points in the migration process, and are often accompanied by other kin and non-kin adults and children (Rosen, forthcoming).When separated migrant children arrive in the UK, they face conflicting treatment. They are protected as 'children' and entitled to the same rights to care as all other children. But, they are often treated as 'suspect' and excluded from welfare provision because of their status as 'migrants' (Crafter, forthcoming). Previous research has highlighted that the tension between immigration control and protection has led to significant differences in the quality of care provided for separated migrant children. New policy and guidance about separated migrant children is both responding to and changing the way these tensions are handled in the UK with, as yet, unknown consequences. In any case, they do not take children's care for each other into account.Little is known about separated children's care for each other as they navigate contradictory, complex, and changeable immigration and welfare systems. Nor do we know how separated children's care for each other is understood and treated by relevant adult stakeholders, including social workers, foster carers, educators, youth workers, religious leaders, legal professionals, and policy makers. Our pilot studies indicate this neglect means that policies and practices designed to support separated child migrants can end up harming, excluding or discriminating against them. For instance, children who care for each other may be forcibly separated in foster care placements, go 'missing' trying to reunite, or have their 'child' status questioned.In response, this project makes a needed and timely intervention. Placing separated children at its heart, this study asks: What are separated child migrants' experiences of care and caring for others? How do various economic, social and political factors shape the care priorities of relevant stakeholders? What are the theoretical, policy, and practice implications of varying understandings and practices of care?This project has been designed by a multidisciplinary research team in collaboration with a range of local and national charities including Refugee Youth and MEENA (for migrant children and women in Birmingham), and involves the Refugee Council, Coram Children's Legal Project, and Barnardo's in an Advisory Group. This broad-based team ensures that the project will have meaningful impact on the lives of separated migrant children.