Reintegration of children affected by armed conflict in Syria to Western Europe
Lessons and reflections shared by social workers
Highlights
The repatriation of European children and families from camps and detention facilities in Northern Syria and Iraq has been the topic of an ongoing and urgent debate. Yet, there has been relatively little documentation of the experiences of these children and social workers in the context of Western Europe.
To better understand the reintegration of children from Syria and Iraq to Western Europe and take stock of the experiences and practices around returns that have taken place in recent years, in 2020 UNICEF began gathering data and documenting the experiences of frontline workers supporting reintegration in Western European countries. This included informant interviews with social workers who were providing direct support to children returning to countries including Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom – which accounted for around 87 per cent of the overall number of European children who were identified in camps in North-East Syria in 2020. Jointly, the front-line professionals have supported almost 250 child returnees in child protection systems that share common frameworks, comparable resources, and a number of similar social and cultural dynamics.
This paper provides an aggregate picture of reintegration practices, experiences and lessons in the context of Western Europe. It lays the foundation for a dialogue among social workers, mental health and psychosocial support service providers, and other front-line actors about the progress, lessons learned, and challenges to date.
