Conference on April 29th and 30th, 2024 in Neudietendorf near Erfurt on the care of refugee children, adolescents and families in the work of psychosocial centers
Erfurt, April 29, 2024 – At a conference, refugio thüringen eV, terre des hommes , and other organizations are calling on political and administrative decision-makers to improve the funding of psychosocial care for refugee children and families and to reduce bureaucratic hurdles. Only in this way can the right to the best possible mental health for all children be realized.
Approximately one in three people fleeing to Germany is a minor. Children and young people arrive either with family members or alone. They often witness or are victims of human-caused violence at a very young age, experiencing threats, persecution and war, the death of friends and family members, as well as imprisonment, mistreatment and torture. During their flight and after arrival, they frequently experience discrimination and racism in all areas of daily life, including education, the asylum process and healthcare
Oumar Diallo, an activist with the post-migrant self-organization "Youth Without Borders," fled to Germany as a teenager without his parents. He recounts: "As a child, you're constantly plagued by existential fears. Before fleeing, you're in a war zone, experiencing trauma, and all you want is a safe environment. During your escape, children encounter human traffickers and witness unimaginable cruelties. Then you finally arrive in Germany, and integration is made so difficult because there are so many obstacles!"
Robina Karimi, also an activist with "Youth Without Borders," who fled Afghanistan six years ago without her parents, adds: "One problem is caregivers who aren't trained in this field and don't even know what rights children have, how the asylum process works, or where to find help, including therapy. Once these people have been trained, they're laid off again because positions in this area are being cut, because politicians are saving money and not making long-term provisions. Newly arriving children today encounter completely overwhelmed structures, which intensifies their fears and makes their integration more difficult."
Oumar Diallo and Robina Karimi emphasize: "Luck and chance determine whether and when someone gets a school place, a place in youth services or in a group home, well-informed support, a therapy place, whether the costs for language interpretation are covered, and much more. This shouldn't depend on luck and chance; these are children's rights!"
In many places, pediatricians, educators, and youth welfare office staff find that they can only partially address the specific needs of refugee children and adolescents. Psychosocial centers (PSZ) have decades of experience in the multi-professional care, counseling, and support of refugees and are continuously expanding their work with children and adolescents. However, they lack sustainable funding and can therefore only cover a small portion of the required services.
Together with Oumar Diallo, Mirjam Kruppa, the Commissioner for Integration, Migration and Refugees at the Thuringian Ministry for Migration, Justice and Consumer Protection, colleagues from the Erfurt Youth Welfare Office, the Thuringian Refugee Council and the Psychosocial Centers will discuss on Monday, April 29, 2024 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. how youth welfare can strengthen the mental health of accompanied and unaccompanied minors, what current challenges exist and what is needed in practice and politics to address them.
Furthermore, the conference on April 29th and 30th, 2024, will focus on the harmful conditions in the arrival and reception systems, digital services, approaches to therapeutic and social work, and interdisciplinary collaboration between different systems dealing with refugee children.
The joint demands for the protection of the health and well-being of refugee children, young people and their families are:
- Implement all necessary measures to fulfill the right of refugees to the highest possible standard of health and well-being (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child). This includes reliable funding for the multi-professional work of psychosocial centers for refugees and victims of torture.
- All children and young people have a right to individualized, needs-based support in accordance with the German Child and Youth Welfare Act (SGB V III). Discrimination against young refugees is unacceptable. This requires proactive funding and adequate resources for child and youth services.
The conference is organized by the Federal Association of Psychosocial Centers for Refugees and Victims of Torture eV, refugio thüringen eV, terre des hommes Deutschland eV and the Federal Association for Unaccompanied Minor Refugees eV with support from other psychosocial centers.
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Responsible parties: refugio thüringen eV / BAfF eV / terre des hommes Deutschland eV / BumF eV.
For inquiries and interviews: Marie-Claire Wygand (Press and Public Relations Officer, BAfF)
Email: marie-claire.wygand@baff-zentren.org
Mobile: +49 (0) 162 54 24 624