Social work with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people: resisting the rhetoric

Abstract

This article addresses the complex dynamics surrounding unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the UK. While states are legally bound to provide refuge under such treaties as the 1951 Refugee Convention, political considerations often lead to the implementation of social control mechanisms that may compromise the rights and dignity of displaced individuals. The most recent restrictive immigration legislation, which raises concerns about potential violations of the Refugee Convention, represents the latest in a long line from successive governments to reduce the number of people seeking asylum in the UK. Against this backdrop, drawing on original empirical research, this article offers insights into the unique challenges faced by social workers operating at the immigration–welfare nexus. Focusing on conflicts between control-orientated and welfare-driven practices, the article uncovers how social work is practised within this context. The binary distinctions between control-orientated or welfare-driven practitioners are unhelpful and unrealistic, with the reality much more complex.