Vulnerable Children in a Hostile Environment: The Legal and Social Impacts of Covid-19 on Young Unaccompanied Asylum-Seekers in England

大流行病影响所有人，但对那些在身体、物质、法律和精神上已经处于多重不利地位的人，如无人陪伴的寻求庇护儿童和年轻人（法律上定义为“UASC”）的影响尤为严重。UASC受到Covid-19的多重影响：他们脆弱的移民身份，不堪重负的医疗保健系统，获得福利和教育服务的限制，以及自我隔离的心理健康影响，都加剧了他们的脆弱性。最重要的是，由于英国自2020年3月起暂停庇护程序，获得法律的咨询、代表和相关支持的机会受到严重影响。新型冠状病毒疫情加剧了庇护延迟和信息封锁，这使得UASC特别难以证明他们的主张，增加了他们作为儿童获得特殊保护的可能性，并增加了剥削和虐待的风险。除了获得法律的正义的机会减少外，新冠肺炎对UASC的更广泛社会影响可能比对任何其他儿童群体都更尖锐和持久。关于社交距离的规定加剧了他们的孤立，特别是因为他们已经脱离了对其他儿童至关重要的家庭支持和社交网络。社会隔离和封锁限制，加上语言能力水平低和互联网连接不良，加剧了获得支持服务的困难，包括心理健康、教育和法律的建议。我们的研究将是首次尝试详细审查新冠肺炎如何影响庇护系统，特别是UASC。重要的是，报告将参考阿尔巴尼亚无国籍儿童服务中心的生活经验，以及在该领域工作的移民从业人员、社会工作者和民间社会代表的叙述。来自阿尔巴尼亚的年轻人构成了联合王国最大的无国籍服务生群体之一，与其他无国籍服务生相比，他们在获得法律的和相关支助服务方面面临特殊困难。也就是说，从这项研究中获得的见解将更广泛地揭示Covid-19给UASC带来的挑战。从本质上讲，该项目将提供重要证据，协助在庇护领域工作的法律的从业人员和决策者规划对这些儿童的长期支助，并处理拖延问题。在此过程中，该项目评估了支持UASC庇护申请的国内和国际法律和指南的购买情况，以及与此同时如何就与该群体有关的不确定性、风险和权利进行谈判。具体而言，这项研究有四个相互关联的目标，涉及：1。进口商：研究新型冠状病毒对庇护系统（证据收集和决策过程）以及对向UASC提供法律的咨询和代表以及相关福利支持的影响; 2.风险和阻力：探讨前线从业人员（律师、法官、福利专业人士）和UASC本身为应对新冠肺炎带来的挑战和延误而采取的策略;3.老化：系统地研究新型冠状病毒肺炎在多大程度上增加了UASC在儿童可获得的特殊保护中“年龄过大”的可能性，以及这对解决其索赔的影响; 4.遗产：为了确定COVID-19在接收和处置UASC方面产生的长期教训、机遇和威胁，特别是在面临看似不可避免的即将到来的紧缩和移民敌意的情况下。（借鉴法律、公共政策、心理学、社会学、儿童和青年研究的见解，教育和人权）和混合方法的方法，建立在申请人在这一领域的领先工作，并利用他们在法律的实践，社会工作，民间社会组织和UASC本身之间建立的联系网络

Pandemics affect all people, but they disproportionately impact those who are already multiply disadvantaged, physically, materially, legally, and mentally, such as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people (defined legally as 'UASCs'). UASCs are multiply impacted by Covid-19: their fragile immigration status, overwhelmed health care systems, restricted access to welfare and education services, and the mental health effects of self-isolation all compound their vulnerabilities. Above all, due to the suspension of asylum proceedings since March 2020 in the UK, access to legal advice, representation and associated support have been severely compromised. Asylum delays and information blockages exacerbated by Covid-19 make it especially difficult for UASC to evidence their claims, increasing their potential to 'age-out' of the special protections available to them as children and increasing the risks of exploitation and abuse. In addition to reduced access to legal justice, the broader social impacts of Covid-19 on UASC may be more acute and enduring than on any other group of children. The rules on social distancing compound their isolation, particularly since they are already separated from the family support and social networks that have been so crucial to other children. Social isolation and lockdown restrictions coupled with low levels of language ability and poor internet connectivity exacerbate difficulties in accessing support services, including mental health, education and legal advice.Our research will be the first attempt to scrutinise how Covid-19 is affecting the asylum system, and specifically UASCs. Importantly, it will be informed by the lived experiences of UASCs from Albania and by accounts from immigration practitioners, social workers and civil society representatives working in the field. Young people from Albania form one of the largest groups of UASCs in the UK and are known to face particular difficulties in accessing legal and related support services compared to other UASCs. That said, the insights gained from this study will shed light on the challenges that Covid-19 presents for UASCs more widely. In essence, the project will provide crucial evidence to assist legal practitioners and policy makers working in the area of asylum to plan long-term support for these children and deal with delays. In the process, the project evaluates the purchase of domestic and international law and guidance in supporting UASC claims for asylum, and how uncertainty, risk and rights relating to this group are being negotiated in the meantime. Specifically, the study has four interlinked objectives relating to:1. IMPACTS: To examine the impact of Covid-19 on the asylum system (evidence gathering and decision-making processes) and on the provision of legal advice and representation and associated welfare support for UASC; 2. RISK AND RESISTANCE: To explore the strategies adopted by front line practitioners (lawyers, judges, welfare professionals) and UASCs themselves to respond to the challenges and delays presented by Covid-19;3. AGEING OUT: To systematically examine the extent to which Covid-19 has increasing UASCs potential to 'age out' of the special protections available to children, and the implications of that for the resolution of their claims; 4. LEGACIES: To identify longer term lessons, opportunities and threats arising from Covid-19 regarding the reception and disposal of UASCs, particularly in the face of seemingly inevitable impending austerity and immigration hostility.The research will adopt an interdisciplinary (drawing on insights from law, public policy, psychology, sociology, children and youth studies, education and human rights) and a mixed-methods approach which builds on the applicants' leading work in this field, and harnesses their established network of contacts in legal practice, social work, civil society organisations and among UASCs themselv