How do a child's personal capacities affect their integration?
The personal capacities of children and young people, and how these are enhanced by and interact with other dimensions of the integration model, have perhaps the strongest impact on CYP's integration. In situations where services are limited or inaccessible due to legal status or location, service providers can often most helpfully support the evolving capacities of the CYP, for example through the provision of informal education and training, safe spaces and life skills. Awareness, understanding and familiarity with new social and cultural norms, including around sex and relationships, are vital as these often vary widely compared to CYP's experiences prior to migration.
Personal capacities are deeply rooted in a CYP's prior experience as well as the way services are provided and evolve over time. For example, a child's capacity to make decisions (autonomy) and deal with challenges is linked to their education and care environment. Similarly a child's sense of identity and confidence is impacted by their social connections. Children and young people should be enabled to create their own connections and encouraged to make links outside of their normal social circles.
Build on characteristics that drive resilience
Services and supports should always seek to develop and build upon characteristics that contribute to resilience, including a child's sense of control and ability to make a difference.
Recovering cultural identity: Taller de Vida’s Enraizarte project
Practitioner Deysi Caicedo Machado explains how Taller de Vida’s project enables children from Afro-descendent, Indigenous and Mestizo communities in Colombia who have been forcibly displaced to reconnect with their history and culture, to build confidence and strength, and become advocates for the protection of their rights.
The ability to make a difference in one's life and to have a sense of self confidence is strongly associated with resilience. Characteristics of resilient CYP include having positive relationships with peers and adults, flexibility (in terms of being able to understand and adapt to new situations and deal with challenges) and the ability to access a range of services including education and training. Spirituality, positivity and a hopeful view of the future can also contribute to resilience.
The impact of trauma experienced by both boys and girls before leaving their home country, on the journey and after arrival should not be overlooked. For some CYP, this trauma will naturally dissipate as they become more settled, whereas for others professional mental health care will be required. However, it is important not to regard all children and young people as helpless victims as this can negate the strengths and talents that they possess. Indeed CYPs' independence and ability to travel may in some ways support their resilience, by having given them a sense of achievement and helped them to acquire skills in the process.
Personal capacities are also associated with a positive sense of self-worth and self-esteem. This is an important consideration in relation to identity issues which may be viewed as 'less than' or taboo, such as gender, sexuality and disability.
Key actions and considerations for service providers:
- Coordinate with other agencies and service providers to ensure there are a range of learning, education, training and recreational opportunities for CYP which are developmentally and age appropriate.
- Incorporate a planned and goal orientated approach to all services and activities provided.
- Adopt a strengths-based approach in any planning with CYP.
- Integrate the promotion of positive identity into all activities and either develop specific programmes which focus on marginalised CYP or collaborate with/refer to other specialised programmes (for example for LGBTQ+, disability etc.).
- Promote learning, recreational activities and opportunities in which CYP can develop their life and social skills and be empowered, including peer-to-peer education/ support programmes and meaningful participation opportunities.
- Ensure continuous training, capacity building, supervision and access to mental health support for staff and volunteers to enable them to effectively support CYP, including those who may be experiencing the effects of loss and trauma.
- Ensure CYP have access to services, including psychological, to assist them in dealing with the impact of various traumas, including loss and separation.