Health and education

NCB and the Childhood Bereavement Network
Grief Matters for young asylum seekers and refugees: seminar report and recommendations

Many young asylum seekers and refugees have experienced the death of family members or friends, often in traumatic circumstances. This, and further traumatic experiences and losses, can have a devastating effect on their emotional and physical health, their behaviour, learning and relationships.

The National Children’s Bureau and the Childhood Bereavement Network hosted a free consultation seminar on 4 October 2007, bringing together practitioners, managers, policy-makers and academics working in the fields of childhood bereavement and young asylum seekers and refugees. The aim of the seminar was to discuss effective strategies for delivering appropriate bereavement support to this vulnerable group and to create an agenda for taking this work forward.

The Seminar also provided opportunities to hear from expert speakers to help provide a framework for considering the complex range of issues that bereavement presents for asylum seeking and refugee young people. They include Anne Davies, Chief Executive of Jigsaw4u,
Dr. Bill Yule, Emeritus Professor of Applied Child Psychology at Kings College, London,  Magda Conway, Coordinator of the Children and Young People HIV Network, Abdirashid Gulaid, Mental Health Development and Support Worker from Mind, Tower Hamlets and Amina Hassan, Clinical Counsellor from Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust Psychology and Counselling Team.

This report summarises the presentations and discussion points from the seminar, and includes recommendations made by delegates

Principles of engaging asylum seeker and refugee parents in their child’s learning A guide for all school staff working with asylum seeker and refugee families. Anita Bratherton 2006. This leaflet provides some examples of how best to involve asylum seeker and refugee parents in their child’s learning and outlines ways for schools to be inclusive of all families.
Download PDF [26KB]

A Part of Society: Refugees and Asylum Seekers Volunteering in the UK
Ruth Wilson and Hannah Lewis 2006
This report from the Volunteering and Asylum project id based on case studies of ten organisations across the UK that are all outside the refugee sector, and that are all successfully involving refugees and asylum seekers as volunteers. The report is for policy makers, volunteer managers and others wanting to encourage and develop diversity in volunteering

For further details and to order a copy visit www.tandem-uk.com/vol_asylum.htm

Children, HIV, Asylum & Immigration
Magda Conway December 2006

This report offers an overview of the current situation for children who are infected with and affected by HIV and who have insecure immigration status (either seeking asylum, appealing a ruling, visa Overstayers and those who are undocumented). The evidence presented  was gathered through questionnaires, interviews and case studies from both health and support services. The report represents how current immigration, children’s and health legislation are often at odds, and how this is playing out in the experiences of children, their families, and practitioners supporting them.

The report can be downloaded from www.ncb.org.uk/hiv
For a free hard copy version email your name and address to hiv@ncb.org.uk

Planning for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children in Kent
Thomas M, Kent County Council, January 2006
Malcolm Thomas, Kent County Council Education Advisor provides an insight into planning education for unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Kent; the challenges and solutions
Download PDF [26KB]

Safer Together Final Report 2005
East Midlands Consortium for Asylum and Refugee Support, 2005
EMCAR Final Conference report for Safer Together, a regional education conference that took place on 13 April 2005, which celebrates and showcases good practice in the East Midlands
Download PDF [1MB file, may take longer to download on dial-up connections]

A Study on How Asylum Seekers and Refugees Access Education in Four Local Authorities in England
Appa V, National Children's Bureau, May 2005
Report on an 18 month NCB study exploring different methods of teaching school aged asylum seekers and refugees to ascertain best practice in helping them to acquire English, integrate and access the curriculum. This report also explores challenges for 14-19 year olds
Download PDF [136KB]

Assessment and planning

View PDF briefings dealing with the challenges of child care and immigration legislation

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Projects and placements

Browse through our pick of creative, innovative projects plus information on residential practice and supported housing

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