8 Refugee children and families in the Republic of Ireland: the response of social work
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Muireann Ní Raghallaigh
Abstract
This chapter explores the social work role in the Republic of Ireland in relation to children and families from a forced migration background. It starts by setting the context through a discussion about social work generally, before discussing social work’s role with four different, though interlinked, groups of refugees: families who arrive independently/‘spontaneously’ and seek asylum or international protection; refugees who arrive through organised government resettlement or relocation schemes; unaccompanied minors who arrive through one of the aforementioned routes and who are placed in the care of the state child welfare and protection agency; and people who arrive to be reunited with refugee family members who are already in Ireland. The chapter draws on both Irish and international research to highlight that while social work has a central role in the provision of care and support to unaccompanied minors, the role of social work vis-à-vis the other cohorts has been limited, largely reflecting the general lack of support provided to most refugee groups within the Irish context. It is argued that as Ireland’s international protection system changes in the coming years, the social work profession – if sufficiently resourced – has the capacity to position itself centrally, not only in the provision of services to people from a forced migration background, but also in shaping policy development and research agendas.
Abstract
This chapter explores the social work role in the Republic of Ireland in relation to children and families from a forced migration background. It starts by setting the context through a discussion about social work generally, before discussing social work’s role with four different, though interlinked, groups of refugees: families who arrive independently/‘spontaneously’ and seek asylum or international protection; refugees who arrive through organised government resettlement or relocation schemes; unaccompanied minors who arrive through one of the aforementioned routes and who are placed in the care of the state child welfare and protection agency; and people who arrive to be reunited with refugee family members who are already in Ireland. The chapter draws on both Irish and international research to highlight that while social work has a central role in the provision of care and support to unaccompanied minors, the role of social work vis-à-vis the other cohorts has been limited, largely reflecting the general lack of support provided to most refugee groups within the Irish context. It is argued that as Ireland’s international protection system changes in the coming years, the social work profession – if sufficiently resourced – has the capacity to position itself centrally, not only in the provision of services to people from a forced migration background, but also in shaping policy development and research agendas.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- List of figures ix
- Notes on contributors x
- Introduction 1
- The contribution of social work research to promote migration and asylum policies in Europe 5
- Participatory art in social work: from humanitarianism to humanisation of people on the move 25
- Grasping at straws: social work in reception and identification centres in Greece 47
- Migrant girls’ experiences of integration and social care in Sweden 64
- “Come to my house!”: Homing practices of children in Swiss asylum camps 80
- Transnational dynamics of family reunification: reassembling social work with refugees in Belgium 95
- Open or closed doors? Accessibility of Italian social work organisations towards ethnic minorities 112
- Refugee children and families in the Republic of Ireland: the response of social work 126
- Sense of place, migrant integration and social work 146
- “If not now, when?”: Reclaiming activism into social work education – the case of an intercultural student-academic project with refugees in the UK and Greece 161
- EU border migration policy and unaccompanied refugee minors in Greece: the example of Lesvos and Samos hotspots 177
- Epilogue: Time to listen, time to learn, time to challenge … because there is hope 198
- Index 201
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- List of figures ix
- Notes on contributors x
- Introduction 1
- The contribution of social work research to promote migration and asylum policies in Europe 5
- Participatory art in social work: from humanitarianism to humanisation of people on the move 25
- Grasping at straws: social work in reception and identification centres in Greece 47
- Migrant girls’ experiences of integration and social care in Sweden 64
- “Come to my house!”: Homing practices of children in Swiss asylum camps 80
- Transnational dynamics of family reunification: reassembling social work with refugees in Belgium 95
- Open or closed doors? Accessibility of Italian social work organisations towards ethnic minorities 112
- Refugee children and families in the Republic of Ireland: the response of social work 126
- Sense of place, migrant integration and social work 146
- “If not now, when?”: Reclaiming activism into social work education – the case of an intercultural student-academic project with refugees in the UK and Greece 161
- EU border migration policy and unaccompanied refugee minors in Greece: the example of Lesvos and Samos hotspots 177
- Epilogue: Time to listen, time to learn, time to challenge … because there is hope 198
- Index 201
