These pages contain key documents, advice, guidance and resources used in Devon to support the needs of our unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
Updates
- Welcome guide for refugees (translated)
- Free – Future Learn course – Caring for Children Moving Alone: Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children
Advice and guidance – supporting UASC in school
Devon UASC are a diverse group of children, with different cultural backgrounds and a wide range of languages. English might have been taught within the education system of their country of origin.
For some UASC there might have been complete interruption of education for a longer period of time owing to conflict. Where an UASC arrives to Devon, an initial needs assessment is conducted as quickly as possible.
UASC that arrive in Devon have complex educational needs. However, basic needs like physical health and safety, as well as psychological needs such as self-esteem and belongingness, provide the fundament for successful learning.
Our supporting resources can be found below:
- UASC inclusion checklist
- Signposting – advice, guidance and resources
- EAL proficiency assessment with supporting strategies
- Working with interpreters
- Supporting children through Ramadan
UASC – backgrounds
A brief summary of the general educational and cultural backgrounds of our Devon UASCs.
Supporting the emotional and mental wellbeing of UASC
- Kent Public Health has produced a range of useful resources for meeting the health needs of UASC.This website is the main mental health page and there are a range of resources, including some reports of the studies in Kent – including a competency framework. They have made the framework into a video which you can find here.
- Working with UASC: A video is of a psychotherapist describing what she found in working with UASC.
- Sleep: How sleep impacts UASC’s mental health
- Abbas: UASC story
- Refugee Council: Therapeutic services
- Supporting the emotional and mental health of UASC in schools
- Supporting the social and cultural needs of UASC
Race equality guidance and resources
Children and young people tell us that bullying and prejudice/hate incidents (BPRIs) happen, and we are encouraging schools to record, report and respond to such incidents.
Children and young people learn best in an environment where they feel safe and respected. Being exposed to bullying and expressions of prejudice or hatred can undermine that sense of safety and respect and affect educational outcomes.
Visit our anti-racism in schools pages for additional resources and information.
Educational options
- Devon ESOL support
- Student Action for Refugees – universities that offer scholarships for refugees and asylum seekers
Videos
The videos below can be useful for teachers, educators, foster carers or anyone wishing to learn more about Asylum Seeking Children.
My journey
This powerful video highlights a wide range of challenges for Asylum Seeking Children by focusing on their everyday experiences
Dear Habib
Dear Habib is a short animation sharing the true story of an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child.
Naqeeb’s story
Naqeeb is a refugee from Afghanistan who sought asylum in England. Naqeeb was rewarded in parliament for his efforts fighting Home Office mistreatment of child asylum seekers in 2019. He says the award means a lot to him. “This award gives me strength. It shows there are people listening to our stories.”
Resources
Useful links
- UASC Health website – information about public health, mental health and primary care of unaccompanied asylum seeking children
- UNHCR Safe & Sound – provides extensive information on the best interests of unaccompanied and separated children in Europe.
- Rights and advocacy
- Home Office guidance on Children’s Asylum Claims
- Becoming Adult website – an excellent resource which contains research projects, videos and comedy sketches. These comedy sketches tell, in a humorous way, the stories of unaccompanied young people and their challenges navigating the UK system. You can also find some information about their international conference “Constructing viable futures: Unaccompanied migrant young people transitioning to adulthood”, there are podcasts and PowerPoint presentations.
- Supporting UASC with limited HL literacy – the Bell Foundation
- The integration of UASC: good practice – Home Office Department for Education and Skills
- Refugee Council
- Refugee Support Devon
- Support from Space and Young Devon
- Devon County Council Virtual School