Preventing Child Maltreatment in ORR/DUCS-Funded Care Provider Programs

What Happens When I Go To Immigration Court?. Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children page s . 2006. Creole English French Spanish . http://www.hklaw.com/id207/

"'What Happens When I Go To Immigration Court?' is a first-of-a-kind educational video produced by the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children to orient children who are placed in immigration proceedings and must appear in immigration court before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). The video uses child-centered techniques to familiarize the child with these administrative legal proceedings. It also helps put children at ease and begins to foster the trust and openness needed for representing the child during the immigration court proceeding. ... An accompanying user's guide is available and provides important tips for professionals on the optimal ways to use the video with children. The user's guide is for child advocates, attorneys, and other professionals who are assisting children through proceedings in front of the immigration court." - Publisher's description

A New World: Immigration and Foster Care. Youth Communication 40 page s . Spring 2010. English . http://www.youthcomm.org/Publications/FCYU.htm#Represent100_immigration

This volume of Represent was written by and for young people in the foster care system and provides information for youth on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, the right to education, and more. 

Alone in a Strange Land: Unaccompanied Minors and Issues of Protection. Rousseau, Cecile , Montgomery, Catherine , Shermarke, Marian 102-119 page s . March 2001. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

Profiles young refugees arriving in Canada without a legal guardian. These unaccompanied minors emigrate because they are escaping violence, persecution, or family or economic constraints; others are involved in black market or criminal activity. The study is based on interviews with 18 social practitioners in Montreal and points to ways in which the needs of unaccompanied minors go beyond those of other young immigrants. Coping with loss, shock, or trauma is particularly challenging for unaccompanied minors who may have experienced abrupt or brutal separation from their families and may have developed ineffective survival strategies. Placing these immigrants in the same community of origin, while protective, has its risks, especially if the new families have limited resources, share different values, or feel isolated. Interrupted education and lack of language skills mean that unaccompanied minors may be refused schooling and denied this avenue of integration. Moreover, deportation may still be a real possibility for some of these refugees, and their status as minors poses risks and barriers. Budget cutbacks could lead to a lower standard of social services that does not address the special needs of unaccompanied minors. (31 references)

Asylum Process for Unaccompanied Children. Refugee Council 7 page s . 2007 Spring. English . http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8BBA39D6-FFA2-47AA-A5D7-2C885BD0E201/0/AsylumProcessUASC_Apr07.pdf

"The Home Office defines an unaccompanied child as 'a person who, at the time of making the asylum application, is under 18 years of age or who, in the absence of documentary evidence, appears to be under that age, and who is applying for asylum in his/her own right and is without adult family member(s) or guardian(s) to turn to in this country.' This definition excludes children who are cared for by a distant relative, or a sibling who is also little over the age of 18. With the changes to the asylum process as a result of the New Asylum Model, also come proposals for a new process to handle asylum applications from children. The asylum process for unaccompanied children seeking asylum will remain slightly different to take account of children and young people's particular vulnerability. The new proposals are: - Children over the age of 12 will be interviewed about their asylum claim; - Unaccompanied children seeking asylum will also be given a designated Case Owner trained to work with minors. The Case Owner will see the case through from the time the child claims asylum until the end of the process; and - To ensure more frequent contact between children seeking asylum and their designated Case Owner." - Publisher's description

Child Abuse and Culture: Working with Diverse Families. Fontes, Lisa Aronson 239 page s . February 2005. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

This book provides a framework for culturally competent practice in child maltreatment cases. It offers vital knowledge and tools to help professionals from any background play a more positive, effective role in the lives of diverse children and families.

Child Abuse Issues with Refugee Populations (PART I)- Recognizing Suspected Child Maltreatment in Culturally Diverse Refugee Families. Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) page s . March 2010. English . http://usccb.na4.acrobat.com/p69463908/ http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/BRYCS-Webinar-I-3-17-2010.pdf http://www.brycs.org/highlighted-resources.cfm?childwelfare&list=19

This Webinar is for refugee resettlement and other refugee professionals who do not have a background in child welfare. Participants will learn about the types of child maltreatment and how to recognize child maltreatment in refugee families, considering cultural factors. The Webinar is taught by Dr. Lisa Fontes, PhD.

Child Abuse Issues with Refugee Populations (PART II)- Refugee Resettlement and Child Welfare: Working Together for Child Protection. Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) page s . March 2010. English . http://premiere.na3.acrobat.com/p81613594/ http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/BRYCS-Webinar-Part-II-3-24-2010.pdf http://www.brycs.org/highlighted-resources.cfm?childwelfare&list=19

This is a follow-up to the first Webinar on recognizing child maltreatment, and is also for refugee resettlement and other refugee professionals who do not have a background in child welfare. Refugee resettlement participants will gain information on mandated reporting as well as learn how to work with their local child welfare agency to help strengthen refugee families. The Webinar is taught by Dr. Lisa Fontes, PhD.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for SIJS Applicants and "Video Clips". Child Advocacy and Immigration Clinic page s . n.d.. English Chinese Spanish This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

These resources are New York City specific and the FAQ document anwsers some questions that other documents do not address. the video clips (see left column on the home page of this resource link) may be the most helpful element. SIJS-applicant youth may be encouraged to see and hear other youth like themselves who have overcome similarly difficult circumstances and who have perserved throught the lengthy SIJS process.

Guide for Immigrant Juveniles. Immigration Clinic 9 page s . n.d.. English Spanish This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

This document is available from Anne Chandler at: achandler@central.uh.edu. This document is most useful to kids who are still in DUCS shelter care. The sections on 'How will my attorney help me?' and 'How can I legally remain in the US?' could be helpful to DUCS foster care youth as well, especially since it is translated into Spanish.

Immigration and You: A Manual for Children. Midwest Immigrant & Human Rights Center (MIHRC) , Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights 17 page s . January 2004. English . http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/children/MIHRC_childrens_manual_2004.pdf

Provides a basic explanation of the United States' immigration system for unaccompanied children who are being detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Easy-to-comprehend answers are offered to the following questions about: (1) why a child is not allowed to enter the U.S. without permission; (2) the role of the immigration judge; (3) the process whereby a child may live with a family member or friend of the family living legally in the U.S.; (4) the importance of keeping court appointments, telling the truth, and reading all documents; (5) what to expect from a lawyer; (6) how to stay legally in the U.S., including the necessity of returning temporarily to one's home country in order to get permission to emigrate to the U.S.; the special status of asylum seekers; and special visas for children who have been harmed, abandoned, or neglected by their parents; (7) what happens when a judge orders a child to be sent back to his or her home country; and (8) a child's rights when detained by the INS, including communication with an attorney and access to health care. Includes simple drawings, a glossary of terms, and a listing of inexpensive, free immigration service providers.

Immigration Options for Undocumented Immigrant Children: A Collection of Fact Sheets on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS); Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); Family Visas; U Visas; U.S. Citizenship; Asylum; Temporary Protected Status. Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) 12 page s . June 2006. English . http://www.ilrc.org/resources/sijs/Fact%20sheets%20immigrant%20children.pdf

Provides a collection of fact sheets for quick reference for use by advocates. The topics include: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Family Visas, U Visas, U.S. Citizenship, Asylum, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Additionally, a list of resources for services in the San Francisco Greater Bay Area as well as national organizations willing to provide technical resources and other materials is provided. The resource list includes: direct service providers, technical assistance, written materials, videos, listservs, and web sites.

Immigration: What Teens Need To Know. Public Counsel Law Center 25 page s . 2004. English . http://www.publiccounsel.org/publications/immigration.pdf

"This booklet discusses some immigration laws in a general way. It may give you preliminary answers to immigration questions. You should note that just because you meet certain requirements does not mean you automatically can become a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) or citizen." - Publisher's description Contents Definitions Of Some Words Used In This Booklet Introduction Petition By Family Members Public Charge Family Unity Cancellation Of Removal Political Asylum Violence Against Women Act (Vawa) Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Employment-Based Application Questions & Answers Lottery College Immigration Legal Services Additional Resources

Interviewing Immigrant Children and Families About Child Maltreatment. Fontes, Lisa Aronson page s . 2000. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

Instructs listeners of the audiotape how to conduct open interviews with immigrant and refugee children (even if they do not speak English) who have suffered experiences of child abuse and neglect. Covers background on why culture and demographic information such as non-nuclear arrangements are important. Advises about the location of the interview, the role of adults who accompany children, and the use of interpreters and bilingual interviewers. Nonverbal cues need special attention: gestures, eye contact, seating arrangements, and physical expressiveness, touch, pace of speech, and silence. The interview consists of three phases: (1) building rapport and establishing trust; (2) conducting the assessment; and (3) reaching closure and preparing for the next steps. Sample questions are included as well as suggestions for using aids such as dolls and drawings during the interview as well as consideration of the crime scene in terms of the culture involved. The techniques described are geared specifically to assist social workers, medical professionals, teachers, attorneys, therapists, and law enforcement personnel in developing rapport with diverse children. (IP)

Journey of Dreams: Fleeing for Their Lives on a Perilous Path to Freedom. Pellegrino, Marge 250 page s . 2009. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

This story is about how Tomasa, a Quiché Maya, and her family fled Guatemala in the 1980s. This gripping novel shows how in the midst of tragedy, their love and loyalty keeps them going on their harrowing journey as refugees to the United States, where they can keep their Mayan traditions alive and live in peace.

Living in the United States: A Guide for Immigrant Youth. Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) 31 page s . 2007. English Korean Spanish . http://www.zellerbachfamilyfoundation.org/pdfs/Youth_Handbook_English.pdf

Explains immigration laws for use by immigrant youth in an easy-to-read format published by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco. Contrasts the various legal rights and restrictions of a U.S. citizen vs. a green card holder vs. an undocumented person. Undocumented youth and green card holders are advised to pay taxes, to register with the Selective Service, and to stay out of trouble with the law. If immigration authorities come to a home or place of employment, the immigrant should not answer the door, ask for a warrant, keep silent, refuse to sign papers, and remain calm. The myth that having a child improves the possibility of becoming a legal citizen is refuted repeatedly. The Special Immigrant Juvenile Status provides a possible path to obtaining a green card. Immigrants learn how to obtain identification cards such as a state ID from the Department of Motor Vehicles, a Matricula Consular, and a driver's license. Other topics include: obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, military service, receiving public benefits, and educational entitlements. (IP)

Muslim Child: Understanding Islam through Stories and Poems. Khan, Rukhsana 104 page s . 1999. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

This book is a child-centered introduction to Islam.  Through a collection of short stories and poems, this book examines the everyday lives and struggles of Muslim children as they learn to follow the path of Islam, one of the world’s major religions and a way of life that is often misunderstood.  With more and more Muslim refugee children arriving to the United States, this book may be helpful in teaching non-Muslim children more about their peers. 

National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) (Web site). National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) . English Spanish . http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/nccc/

Provides information about effective and appropriate early intervention and preschool practices that are sensitive to and respectful of children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The bilingual (English-Spanish) web site is sponsored by the Early Childhood Research Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), a federally funded collaborative effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the Council for Exceptional Children, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and others. The web site contains information about CLAS, including its mission, goals, and staff and advisory board; an overview of key cultural barriers to effective interventions; access to publications aimed at service providers, administrators, and early childhood or special education practitioners, including review guidelines and technical reports; an on-line searchable database of educational materials and newsletters; and links to other professional organizations, early childhood research projects and institutes, clearinghouses, and government agencies. Visitors to the site also may fill in a detailed form to receive culture-specific information.

Raising Children in a New Country: An Illustrated Handbook. Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) 36 page s . September 2007. Arabic English Hmong Karen Nepali Spanish . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/RaisingChildren-Handbook.pdf

This booklet was created for agencies serving refugees and immigrants in order to support their efforts to ensure that newcomer parents have the basic information they need about U.S. laws and parenting practices. Although newcomers may find the booklet useful by itself, it is primarily intended for case managers and other service providers to use together with their refugee and immigrant clients. The booklet is targeted to newcomer parents with low levels of English proficiency and/or low literacy levels. Since the often complex concepts illustrated here are necessarily simplified, the resource section (pages 28-31) provides easy-to-access information for service providers to supplement the basic points in this booklet. For best results, BRYCS recommends using this booklet in culturally appropriate parent support groups, preferably run by at least one experienced newcomer parent of the same ethnicity and one U.S.-born parent, where refugee and immigrant parents can ask questions, try out new behaviors, and find positive support to help ease their transition. (See the BRYCS publication Parenting in a New Country: A Toolkit for Working with Newcomer Parents for more information on parent support groups, including curricula and other educational information).

This booklet has been translated into Arabic, Nepali, Spanish, and White Hmong by local refugee agencies.  Contact BRYCS at info@brycs.org for more information.

Refugee Child Welfare: Guidance for Schools. Bridging Refugee Youth and Childrenâ??s Services (BRYCS) 4 page s . 2010. English . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/ChildWelfare-FAQ.pdf

School personnel are on the front lines of working with refugee children and their families, and must often address child welfare and family issues. This tool, the third in BRYCS’ toolkit for the schools, was created to help school staff address these concerns. 

• Highlighted Resources: Addressing Refugee Child Welfare Concerns in the Schools
  

Seeking Asylum Alone: Unaccompanied and Separated Children and Refugee Protection. Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 111 page s . June 2006. English . http://www.humanrights.harvard.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=71

This series of reports presents the results of a two-year study, which examined the plight of unaccompanied and separated children in the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom. Each of the country reports describes describe the nature and scale of the migration of unaccompanied and separated children entering that country, drawing on government data and statements, advocates' accounts, court proceedings, and interviews with migrant children themselves. The comparative report identifies eight areas of concern that are common among the three countries: (1) inadequate data collection to account for the children and study outcomes; (2) inhospitable, off-shore processing practices; (3) unreliable age assessment tools and confusing policies on the identification of children who are separated from family; (4) problematic reception procedures, especially in the US and Australia, which restrict access to legal assistance; (5) the use of detention, which is mandatory in Australia, as a form of immigration control; (6) a punitive legal process, poorly trained asylum officers, and limited access to translators; (7) systemic "attitudes of disbelief" within the corps of asylum officials; and (8) the low number of unaccompanied children granted asylum, especially noted in the failure to identify and protect victims of child trafficking.

Sexual Abuse in Nine North American Cultures: Treatment and Prevention. Fontes, Lisa Aronson (ed.) 328 page s . 1995. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

"A beautiful foreword by Eliana Gil and a very helpful preface and introduction by the editor, Lisa Aronson Fontes, elucidate the many ways in which culture is relevant to sexual abuse. They set the personal tone and the fresh scholarly information that characterizes the chapters. The reader is treated to an impressive, state-of-the-art array of ideas on culture that opens new avenues for inquiry." - Publisher's description

State Child Welfare Policy Database. Casey Family Programs page s . n.d.. English . http://www.childwelfarepolicy.org/pages/map.cfm

The Web site aims to centralize and make publicly available an array of state child welfare policies so that policy makers, practitioners, and other stakeholders can stay abreast of the policies that protect our nation's most vulnerable children.  Refugee service providers may find this site particularly useful for its information on guardianship.  Information on "guardianship policies" can be found within the section on "kinship care policies." 

Suggestions for Interviewing Refugee and Immigrant Children. Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) 3 page s . Winter 2009. English . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/BRYCSBrief-Interviewing-Winter2009.pdf

Interviewing recently arrived refugee or immigrant children and families takes special sensitivity, preparation, and frequently a foreign language interpreter. Whether your topic is child abuse, education, health or other issues, this list of suggestions can help you prepare to interview refugee or immigrant children and families.

• Highlighted Resources: Interpretation: Serving Refugee and Immigrant Children

The Best Interests of the Child in a Global Perspective. Bridging Refugee Youth and Children Services (BRYCS) 5 page s . 2008 Winter. English . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/brycs_spotwinter2008.pdf

U.S. child welfare laws are local - established at the state or county level - but they share a common foundation with international child welfare standards by emphasizing "best interests" in decisions about children. Recently, George Mason University hosted a three-day transnational conference on the "Protection of Unaccompanied and Separated Children," which looked at the application of the best interests principle to children in migratory situations. This Spotlight article focuses on protection issues that migrating children have in common with children in U.S. foster care.

• Promising Practices: Heshima Kenya, Intercounty Home Studies
• Highlighted Resources

Unaccompanied Alien Children: Policies and Issues. Haddal, Chad C. 37 page s . March 1, 2007. English . http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/CRS%20unaccompanied%20children%203-1-07.pdf

This CRS Report for Congress, highlights the numerous arguments and issues regarding unaccompanied alien children. The report examines the issues from the perspective of child welfare advocates as well as immigration security advocates.

Unaccompanied Children in the United States:  A Literature Review. VERA Institute of Justice 47 page s . April 2008. English . http://www.vera.org/content/unaccompanied-children-united-states-literature-review

Provides an overview of the published research on unaccompanied immigrant children in the United States in order to support a pilot program, the Unaccompanied Children Pro Bono Project (UACPBP), designed to provide timely legal assistance to children through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). A brief overview of the migration of unaccompanied children and the standards of international law and the Best Interests Principle provides historical background. Policies on the detention, release, and repatriation of children outline the current legal procedures to process these children. Application procedures for asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, and trafficking victims are outlined. Legal representation can be improved by tracking the data collection for the migration of unaccompanied children, developing child-focused policies on the need for advocates, regulating the confidentiality, repatriation, and reunification policies, and increasing the number of attorneys available to assist. Treatment of these children needs to improve by reducing the conditions and length of detention, transferring responsibility for the children to the ORR, and creating awareness courses to identify and reduce child trafficking victims.

War Exposure, Daily Stressors, and Mental Health in Conflict and Post-Conflict Settings: Bridging the Divide Between Trauma-Focused and Psychosocial Frameworks. Rasmussen, Andrew , Miller, Kenneth E. 7-16 page s . October 2009. English . http://www.drkenmiller.org/Ken_Miller,_Ph.D./CV_files/War Experiences, Daily Stressors, and Mental Health.pdf

This article argues that trauma-focused advocates overemphasize the impact of direct war exposure on mental health and fail to consider the contribution of daily stressors. 

You Are Not Alone. Lawyers for Children 28 page s . 2007. English . http://www.lawyersforchildren.org/siteFiles/Immgration_LFC.pdf

This brochure addresses basic immigration questions; focuses primarily on SIJS but includes information on other types of status (including asylum, T & U Visas); includes information on the SIJS bar to parental immigration and discusses how long the SIJS application can take; includes a glossary at the back; resources and description of the family court process are NYC specific. This booklet could be very useful to SIJS-applicant youth. However, it will require strong command of English, or a translator.