Germany: admission of unaccompanied minors
The project strengthens the arrival, support and integration systems for refugee children and adolescents who enter Germany without adult adults. The project goal is the advice, qualification and networking of actors involved in unaccompanied underage, so that they contribute to protection, to the well -being and the equal participation of children and adolescents.
Direct target group are colleagues from advice centers, specialists from authorities, judiciary and public and free youth welfare and volunteers, such as guardianships, which are dealt with with unaccompanied minors.
Project measures include the research to change legal areas, a needs analysis and continuous advisory practice. The focus is also on the transfer of knowledge, the networking and the qualification of honorary and full-time actors, according to the special needs of the unaccompanied children, adolescents and young adults. Finally, specialist dialogues take place in order to contribute to a cross -legally and networked cooperation of the systems dealing with unaccompanied minors.
Terre des Hommes ' project partner is the Federal Association of Unaccompanied Minor Refugees (BumF). The project builds on the experiences and positive approaches of its predecessor project ("From Welcome to Arrival") and consolidates them.
Project evaluation
The evaluation shows that young, unaccompanied refugees in Germany find themselves in a child and youth welfare system characterized by numerous challenges. Political and societal discourse, tightening of laws, structural deficits, cost pressure, and a shortage of skilled workers negatively impact their situation and participation.
Since flight and migration are increasingly portrayed as a problem in many discourses, this can lead to mistrust of those seeking protection. This increases exclusion and discrimination. Practitioners observe a declining willingness to recognize the needs of children and young people, as well as a growing lowering of standards in care structures.
Particularly complex issues and changes in asylum and residence law pose major challenges for practitioners. The need for training, particularly in legal, gender-sensitive, and anti-racism skills, is high. The professionals reached benefit greatly from the training, consultations, and networking opportunities offered within the project.
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