Dialogues for Care and Safety: The Role of Social Workers in Responding to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against Unaccompanied Children

Abstract

In the past years, Sweden has been faced with high numbers of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) who are fleeing war and turmoil from their home countries through Europe. These children are resilient but also face several protection risks throughout their migratory path, including risks for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Their vulnerability for these risks is exacerbated by the fact that they are transiting alone, without the layer of parental protection. The familial care is replaced with professionals taking care of these children – social worker carrying a mandate to take care of their well-being. SGBV may have devastating consequences to the physical, psychological and emotional development of these children, and thus the interest of social work. This study aimed to understand how social workers perceive their role and capacities in responding to SGBV against UASC in Sweden. The research question was threefold: the first research question was concerned with learning about what kind of experiences the social workers have concerning SGBV against UASC, the second one aimed to understand the roles and strategies that social worker employ as a response to the issue, and the third one extended to examine the role of a social work organization in responding to the issue. This qualitative study was carried out by interviewing six social work professionals working in different social work contexts where they meet UASC in Sweden. The interviews were semi-structured phone interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the empirical material. Ecological theory, Tew’s framework of power for emancipatory social work practice, and critical social work were employed as a theoretical framework. The interviews showed that social workers who meet UASC in their work perceive SGBV as a prevalent issue that is shadowed by shame and causes severe consequences in the well-being of the children. The findings of the study show that the role of social workers in responding to SGBV against UASC is to engage in dialogues on SGBV against UASC in different ecosystems to ensure appropriate care and protection for the child, but also to promote for safer future. The dialogues take place in the contact with the child through facilitating a trust relationship and providing psychosocial support, in the professional networks through coordinating the services and raising awareness on the topic, and a societal level by challenging discourses that enable SGBV against UASC. Finally, a cross-cutting role was to engage in critical analysis to identify the oppressive structures and work for societal change. The role of social work organization was to support the social workers in their attempts. The conclusions are that even though the main responsibilities of the social workers lay in the microsystem, they also have possibilities and power to respond to SGBV against UASC in the other ecosystems. By extending the response outside the microsystem, they are taking a step towards a structural change for a safer future for UASC.