Best Practices for Working with Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Humanitarian Contexts: A Guide for Staff and Volunteers in the United States

About

This “best practices” guide was developed to help prepare staff and volunteers working with unaccompanied migrant children in emergency contexts within the United States in order to:

• Increase the safety and well-being of children in temporary care sites.
• Increase knowledge, skills and confidence of staff and volunteers for engaging and communicating with children in a way that supports their dignity, resilience and well-being, and minimizes harm.
• Promote the well-being of staff and volunteers working with children by preparing them for their assignments, clarifying their role and increasing strategies they use to take care of themselves while doing this important work.

Informed by field assessments and contextualized to the United States, the guide brings together best practices and global standards in child protection, life skills education, mental health and psychosocial support, youth participation, gender, conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding, and children’s rights, amongst others.