Good practice in social care for refugees and asylum seekers
Resources
Further reading
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Social care, asylum seekers and refugees Open
British Institute for Human Rights: Your human rights -A guide for refugees and asylum seekers (PDF file). Provides practical information about human rights, and their relevance for refugees and asylum seekers. Primarily aimed at asylum seekers and refugees, this document is also a helpful guide for commissioners and practitioners concerning the impact of human rights on refugees and asylum seekers.
Patel, B. and Kelley, N. (2006) SCIE race equality discussion paper 02: the social care needs of refugees and asylum seekers.
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Children and young people Open
General
British Association of Social Workers; Unison Scotland (2006) Asylum in Scotland: child's welfare paramount? A guide for BASW and Unison Scotland (PDF file). Although referring to the legal and policy context in Scotland highlights some practice issues.
Crawley, H. (2006) , London, Immigration Law Practitioners' Association.Child first, migrant second: ensuring that every child matters (PDF file)
National Children’s Bureau (2008) Grief matters for young asylum seekers and refugees: seminar report and recommendations (PDF file). Summarises the presentations and recommendations from a seminar in 2007, which brought together practitioners, managers, policy-makers and academics working in the fields of childhood bereavement and young asylum seekers and refugees.
Rutter, J. (2003) Working with refugee children, York, Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Watters, C. (2008) Refugee children: towards the next horizon, London, Routledge.
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
Chase, E., Knight, A. and Statham, J. (2008) The emotional well-being of young people seeking asylum in the UK, London, British Association for Adoption and Fostering.
Hewett, T., Smalley, N., Dunkerley, D. and Scourfield, J. (2005) Uncertain futures: children seeking asylum in Wales, Cardiff, Save the Children Wales.
Kohli, R. (2007) Social work with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, London, Palgrave Macmillan. Mitchell, F. (2003) ‘The social services response to unaccompanied children in England’, Child & Family Social Work, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 179-89.
Wade, J., Mitchell, F. and Baylis, G. (2005) Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children: the response of social work services, London, British Association for Adoption and Fostering.
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Disabled refugees and asylum seekers Open
Harris, J. and Roberts, K. (2004) ‘Not our problem: the provision of services to disabled refugees and asylum seekers’ in D. Hayes and B. Humphries (eds) Social work, immigration and asylum: debates, dilemmas and ethical issues for social work and social care practice, pp. 151-61, London, Jessica Kingsley.
Ward, K., Amas, N. and Lagnado, J. (2008) Supporting disabled refugees and asylum seekers: opportunities for new approaches, London, Metropolitan Support Trust.
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Mental health Open
Mind (2009). A civilised society: mental health provision for refugees and asylum seekers in England and Wales (PDF file), London, Mind.
Mind (2009) Improving mental health support for refugee communities - an advocacy approach (PDF file), London, Mind.
National Institute for Mental Health in England, London Development Centre, Social Perspectives Network (2006) Meeting the mental health needs of refugees, asylum seekers and immigration detainees (PDF file). A paper aiming to share work and information looking at mental health from a social perspective.
Palmer, D. and Ward, K. (2007) ’”Lost”: listening to the voices and mental health needs of forced migrants in London’, Medicine, Conflict and Survival, vol. 23, pp. 198-212.
Watters, C., Ingleby, D., Bernal, M. et al. (2003) Good practice in mental health and social care for refugees and asylum seekers. Final report of the project for European Commission (European Refugee Fund), Canterbury: University of Kent.
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Older refugees and asylum seekers Open
Connelly, N. (2008) Older refugees in the UK: a literature review and interviews with refugees, London, Refugee Council.
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Advocacy Open
Cambridge, P. and Williams, L. (2004) 'Approaches to advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers: a development Case Studie for a local support and Advice service', Journal of Refugee Studies, vol. 17, no. 1, pp.97 113.
Guidance, toolkits, training resources and useful organisations
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Good practice guidance and toolkits Open
ADASS Asylum Taskforce (2005) Key transitions for unaccompanied asylum seeking children: Guidance for social workers, personal advisors and their managers working with unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) (PDF file). Developed by a group of practitioners and policy writers, this document aims to provide guidance to social workers and personal advisers working on pathway plans with UASCs.
Burnett, A. (2002) Meeting the health needs of refugee and asylum seekers in the UK: an information and resource pack for health workers. This resource pack on meeting health needs of refugees and asylum seekers contains practical information, details of useful contacts and resources and includes examples of good practice from around the UK. Cooke, E. (ed.) and Phillips, I. (producer) (2005) On new ground: supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people (audio series), Dartington, Research in Practice. This CD provides an overview of key messages from research in relation to asylum-seeking children and young people, having experienced or witnessed traumatic events and been separated from their families.
Kane, S. (2006) Needs assessment and planning for asylum seeking refugee young people: a good practice note (PDF file). Aimed at professionals who carry out needs assessments and create pathway plans for asylum-seeking and refugee young people, this note also highlights additional areas to be considered when working with young people leaving care.
Kane, S. (2006) The ecological approach to the assessment of asylum seeking and refugee children (PDF file). A guide for social workers to looking at the asylum seeking and refugee child in context, using the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families.
London Safeguarding Children Board (2009) London trafficked children toolkit (PDF file). Provides guidance for professionals and volunteers from all agencies involved in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of trafficked children. NRPF network (2008) Practice guidance for local authorities: assessing and supporting children and families from abroad who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) (PDF file). NRPF network (2009) Practice guidance for local authorities assessing and supporting adults with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)(PDF file). Updated April 2009 .
NRPF Network (2010) Guidance for local authorities: Assessing and supporting victims of domestic violence who are from abroad and have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) (PDF file).
NSPCC (2008) Children who are asylum seekers or refugees (PDF file).
Save the Children (2004) Separated Children in Europe Programme. Statement of good practice. The Statement aims to provide a straightforward account of the policies and practices required to implement and protect the rights of separated children in Europe.
The Children’s Society (2008) Supporting refugee young carers and their families: A toolkit for ALL practitioners. A good practice resource designed to enable all service providers to stay informed about the needs, rights and entitlements of refugee and asylum seeker young carers and their families and to carry out effective and appropriate signposting and joint working.
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Training materials Open
Kane, S. (2006) Asylum seeking and refugee children and young people (PDF file), London, National Children's Bureau. A training pack designed for anyone seeking to develop the knowledge and practice of those working with asylum seeking and refugee children: trainers, managers and supervisors.
West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership (2007) Where our journeys meet. Training materials covering basic facts about asylum seekers and refugees: myth-busting; - building empathy, cultural awareness and tackling racism and prejudice.
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Useful organisations Open
Action for Advocacy (A4A)
Action for Advocacy
PO Box 31856
Lorrimore Square
London SE17 3XR
Tel: 020 7820 7868
Email: info@actionforadvocacy.org.ukA4A covers England and Wales and is a central point for information on independent advocacy. It provides resources, events and training and has a directory of advocacy services available on the website.
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS)
Local Government House, Smith Square
London SW1P 3HZ
Tel 020 7072 7433A member organisation described as ‘the voice of adult social care’. The website provides up-to-date information on policy, press releases and consultation responses. Together with ADCS it has developed a Joint ADCS and ADASS Asylum Taskforce, which provides an interface between central government and local authorities concerning the additional costs and duties involved in the care of asylum seekers and their families, while at the same time seeking to ensure that the rights of people seeking asylum are honoured. http://www.adass.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=206&Itemid=171
Association of Directors of Children’s Services Ltd (ADCS)
3rd Floor
The Triangle
Exchange Square
Manchester M4 3TR
Tel: 0161 838 5757
E mail: info@adcs.org.ukADCS is the national leadership Association in England for statutory directors of children's services and other children's services professionals in leadership roles and members.
British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)
School of Law
King’s College London
26–29 Drury Lane
London WC2B 5RL
Tel: 020 7848 1818
Fax: 020 7848 1814
Email: admin@bihr.orgBIHR is a human rights organisation committed to challenging inequality and injustice in everyday like in the UK. It aims to bring human rights to life
Equalities and Human Rights Commission
Email: info@equalityhumanrights.com or
wales@equalityhumanrights.comThe aim of the Commission is to protect individuals against discrimination, to enforce the laws on equality and to promote fairness and human rights for everyone through influencing the development of law and policy and promoting good practice. It has four offices: London, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow. Further contact details are available on the website. The website has resources relating to equalities legislation and its implementation.
Health for Refugee and Asylum Seekers Portal
Designed to enable easy access to a wealth of information, practical tools, and articles written by health care professionals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics and research bodies with expert knowledge of working with asylum seekers and refugees, both in the UK and other countries. Also has a dedicated website for mental health and well-being.
Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees
School of Social Sciences
City University
Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0HB
Tel: 020 7040 4596An academic research and information organisation, which aims to encourage understanding, public debate and policy-making about asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, grounded in accurate and academically sourced information. Publication list (February 2009) available at www.icar.org.uk/download.php?id=530.
Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (MF)
111 Isledon Road
Islington
London N7 7JW
Tel: 020 7697 7777MF, a registered charity established in 1985, is the only organisation in the UK dedicated solely to the treatment of torture survivors. The main treatment centre is in London, with branches in Manchester (covering the North West), Newcastle (covering the North East) and Birmingham (covering the West Midlands). There is also a centre in Glasgow covering the whole of Scotland. MF offers medical consultation, examination and forensic documentation of injuries, psychological treatment and support, and practical help. MF also aims to educate the public and decision-makers about torture and its consequences and undertakes advocacy work to ensure that the UK honours its international obligations towards survivors of torture, asylum seekers and refugees.
NICRAS (Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers)
One Vision
Unit 2
129 Ormeau Road
Belfast
Co. Antrim
Tel: 028 9024 6699Represents and is led by refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland. It aims to support the integration process, campaign and raise awareness, provide information about immigration law and respond to the changing needs of its members.
NRPF (No Recourse to Public Funds) Network
C/O Refugee and Migrant Service
London Borough of Islington
23-26 St Albans Place
London N1 0NX
Tel: 020 7527 7107
Email: nrpf@islington.gov.ukThe NRPF Network was developed by Islington Council in 2006 and is a network of local authorities focusing on the statutory response to destitute people from abroad with NRPF. It shares information and good practice (see the practice guides above) among local authorities and other agencies; works with government departments to raise the practical and policy issues of NRPF; facilitates reimbursement for local authorities of the costs of providing support to people with NRPF; and develops a strategic response to managing the issue of and RPF.
Refugee Action
The Old Fire Station
150 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8SB
Tel: 020 7654 7700
Email: info@refugee-action.org.ukRefugee Action is an independent national charity, which has over 25 years' experience in the reception, resettlement, development and integration of asylum seekers and refugees. Refugee Action’s asylum advice teams provide a reception service for newly arrived asylum seekers, as well as advice and advocacy.
Refugee Action Group (RAG)
Email: refugeeactiongroup@yahoogroups.comEstablished in 2000, RAG is a coalition of NGOs, voluntary sector organisations, refugees and individuals with an interest in refugee issues in Northern Ireland. The aim of the group is to be an independent voice advocating on asylum and refugee issues, and to be supportive to the refugee and asylum-seeking community in Northern Ireland.
Refugee Council
240-250 Ferndale Road
Brixton
London SW9 8BB
Tel No: 020 7346 6700The Refugee Council is the largest organisation in the UK working with asylum seekers and refugees and has three main offices in London (Brixton, Vauxhall and Hounslow) as well as in Birmingham, Ipswich and Leeds. The Refugee Council provides direct help and support and also works with asylum seekers and refugees to ensure their needs and concerns are addressed and to enable them to build new lives. As an independent human rights charity, the Refugee Council works to ensure that asylum seekers and refugees are treated with respect and understanding and that they have the same rights, opportunities and responsibilities as other members of society.
The National Register for Unaccompanied Children
Established by central and local government the Register aims to provide accurate information to statutory agencies requiring information on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in order to ensure safe and appropriate placements can be allocated and to produce data to facilitate performance monitoring and targets set by the Home Office and local government..
Welsh Refugee Council
Phoenix House
389 Newport Road
Cardiff CF24 1TP
Tel: 029 2048 9800
Email: info@welshrefugeecouncil.orgThe Welsh Refugee Council is an independent charity and has four offices in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham. The Council aims to empower refugees and asylum seekers to rebuild their lives in Wales and provides advice, information and support for asylum seekers and refugees The Council offers specialist services in areas such as housing, health and employment and is also actively involved in policy development and campaigning for refugee rights.
Women for Refugee Women
c/o Womankind Worldwide,
2nd Floor, Development House,
56-64 Leonard Street,
London.
EC2A 4LT
Tel: 020 7549 0360
Email: wrw@womankind.org.ukWomen for Refugee Women works to raise awareness of the injustices experienced by women who seek refugee status in the UK. Women who come to the UK fleeing gender-related persecution (such as rape, honour crimes, female genital mutilation and trafficking for forced prostitution) are too often turned down for asylum.
