Unaccompanied children are amongst the most vulnerable in the country. They have often lived through years of trauma and arrive profoundly affected by what they have witnessed.

 

Many face great uncertainty and are surviving in an unfamiliar environment and culture, with strange habits, rules and language. They find themselves alone and in need of care, protection, and support to deal with the effects of severe trauma and mental health issues.

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At Stella Maris we undertake assessments to recognise and understand the individual child/young person’s needs to form a programme of intensive work. These determine psychological and/or emotional impact of experiences as an unaccompanied child. Assessments will also include the child’s needs in relation to their health, disability, education, legal requirements, religious beliefs, racial origin, culture and linguistic background.

 

We work with multi agencies and experts to provide therapeutic input to support, empower them to achieve, provide continuity of care and safe accommodation to promote stability. Caring for unaccompanied children, often referred to as unaccompanied minors, involves providing support, safety, and guidance to children who are separated from their parents or legal guardians and are without proper adult supervision.

 

These children may be refugees, asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, or facing other challenging circumstances. Caring for unaccompanied children requires a compassionate and specialized approach to meet their unique needs.

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