Working with unaccompanied children - foreign nationals in the Republic of Croatia - views from the perspective of experts

Abstract

This paper aims to gain insight into the perspective of experts (special guardians of social workers and police officers for illegal migration) on the implementation of the work procedure with unaccompanied children (minors) and foreign nationals. In the qualitative research, data were collected in two focus groups, in which ten experts from public institutions participated (Regional Office of the Croatian Institute for Social Work, social welfare institutions and the police administration). The results showed how the research participants describe their work with unaccompanied children through interdepartmental cooperation between the police and the social welfare system, based on positive legal regulations to protect the rights and welfare of the child. They describe their professional role as informing about and ensuring the rights of the unaccompanied child and offering the child psychosocial support. The problems they face in their work are the lack of professional staff and translators, problems with infrastructure, refusal to cooperate by the minors, the feeling that they are being manipulated by the children, and the occurrence of professional and ethical dilemmas in their work. At the same time, they noted that the staff working with unaccompanied children need to have specific skills, such as knowledge of how to deal with traumatic experiences, empathy and qualities such as composure. As for the guidelines that can improve this area of work, they emphasize the importance of introducing mandatory medical screening of children, psychosocial support for children and the experts who work with them and ensuring the training of experts.