The role of communicating with children in the reception setting Training on the Human Rights and Best Interests of Children in Transnational Child Protection Cases Helsinki, September 20-21, 2016 Sirpa Kansanaho Manager of Oulu reception centre

Oulu reception centre 3.12.2018

Oulu reception centre Established May 1, 1991 One of two government reception centres (northern & eastern Finland) Three different units under the Oulu reception centre Transit unit – adults and families, in Oulu (capacity 400 persons, to be decreased to 260 on January 1, 2017) Underage unit – unaccompanied children Group home for children aged 0-17 (capacity 7 persons) Residential care unit for youth aged 16-17 (capacity 40 persons, to be decreased to 14 on January 1, 2017) Accommodation unit – adults and families, in Pudasjärvi (capacity 180 persons, to be decreased to 110 on January 1, 2017) Established May 1, 1991 One of two government reception facilities (northern & eastern Finland) Three different units: transit, underage, and accommodation units Transit unit in Oulu for adults and families (capacity 400 persons, to be decreased to 260 on January 1, 2017) Underage unit for unaccompanied children, divided into a group home for children aged 0-17 (capacity 7 persons) and a residential care unit for youth aged 16-17 (capacity 40 persons, to be decreased to 14 on January 1, 2017) Pudasjärvi accommodation unit for adults and families (capacity 180 persons, to be decreased to 110 on January 1, 2017) 3.12.2018

Important considerations How could we… facilitate children having their voices be heard? establish a system which would increase the opportunities for children to be heard? integrate the best interests of children into the work and evaluation processes of centres? support the roles of different actors, such as care staff, social workers, guardians, lawyers, and parents? How could the centre facilitate their communication with children? 3.12.2018

Underage unit social counsellors/ Jori 1/2 a. Having children’s voices be heard The personal counsellor system Regular translated discussions with youth Reviewing client discussions with a multidisciplinary professional team The increasing importance of everyday interactions (over translated discussions) Common unit meetings about shared issues Regular meetings between staff and children/youth to discuss matters Youth have also had opportunities to shape the rules of their communities themselves. Their suggestions have mainly been well though out and well prepared. a. Having children’s voices be heard (kuuleminen) The personal counsellor system Regular translated discussions with youth (either at their request, or based on adults’ observations) Reviewing client discussions with a multidisciplinary professional team As a shared language slowly develops, the youth’s sense of control over their everyday life and their sense of participation grow. Consequently, everyday interactions become increasingly important while the relative importance of translated discussions decreases Common unit meetings Regular meetings between staff and children/youth to discuss shared matters Youth have also had opportunities to shape the rules of their communities themselves. The suggestions put forth have mainly been well though out and well prepared. 3.12.2018

Underage unit social councellors / Jori 2/2 b. Empowerment (osallistaminen) Guidance to take responsibility of own affairs Independent travel to hobbies, buying their own clothes Preparing food (individual, community, cooking club) Cleaning (responsibility for their part in cleaning common quarters) Youth have opportunities to influence e.g. weekend activities c. Evaluating the best interests of the child The child’s desires may not always reflect the child’s best interests Counsellors are responsible for evaluating and setting boundaries Typical issues: late night city visits, visiting friends over the weekend Guiding youth to consider which social circles are worth joining Complex cases are reviewed by a multidisciplinary team (social worker, healthcare worker, teacher, counsellors) which meets several times per week b. Empowerment (osallistaminen) Youth are purposefully guided to take responsibility of their own affairs, taking into account their capacities and personal limits E.g. independent travel to hobbies, buying their own clothes (youth are well aware of their budgets) Preparing food (youth may prepare food for the community when accompanied by a counsellor, or take part in the occasional cooking club) Cleaning (everyone is responsible for their own part in cleaning common quarters) Youth have opportunities to influence such activities, e.g. weekend activities c. Evaluating the best interests of the child The child’s desires may not always reflect the child’s best interests. Counsellors are responsible for evaluating and setting boundaries. Typically such discussions centre around late night visits to the city and staying over at a friend’s place during the weekend. It is important to guide youth to consider which social circles are worth joining and who really are their friends In more complicated cases the issues are discussed in a multidisciplinary team (social worker, healthcare worker, teacher, counsellors) which meets several times every week 3.12.2018

Social worker / Hanna (1/2) Inclusive approach The child is present in all social work processes Children are approached individually based on their age and level of personal development The child receives all information about their affairs, always has opportunities to voice their concerns and ask questions, and they are kept up to date with any and all ongoing processes The child’s opinions are recorded in the client information database Any choices affecting the child’s life are presented and justified to them, especially when such choices may contradict their desires Listening to, and inclusion of, children The child is present in all social work processes Children are approached individually based on their age and level of personal development The child receives all information about their affairs, always has opportunities to voice their concerns and ask questions, and they are kept up to date with any and all ongoing processes The child’s opinions are recorded in the client information database Any choices affecting the child’s life are presented and justified to them, especially when such choices may contradict their desires 3.12.2018

Social worker / Hanna (2/2) The child’s interests must be evaluated under many different circumstances When a child displays various symptoms, one must consider: what kinds of support can be offered locally? might contacting child protective services be in their best interest? During the asylum seeking process the child’s social worker gives a statement. In this statement they detail issues which must be considered in order to act in the child’s best interests When a child receives a residence permit and is moved into a municipality, officials conduct a needs assessment regarding the child’s living and social guidance services Children’s welfare is the responsibility of adults. They must take responsibility and make decisions which are in the child’s best interests The child’s interests must be evaluated under many different circumstances When a child displays various symptoms, what kinds of support can they be offered locally? Perhaps contacting child protective services might be in their best interest? During the asylum seeking process the child’s social worker gives a statement indicating the issues which must be considered in order to act in the child’s best interests When a child receives a residence permit and is moved into a municipality, municipal officials conduct a needs assessment regarding the child’s living and social guidance services Children’s welfare is the responsibility of adults, who must take responsibility and make decisions which are in the child’s best interests 3.12.2018

Nurse / Leena Unaccompanied minors Meetings with healthcare workers are usually private In complicated cases healthcare workers are supported by a multidisciplinary team The child may reserve a doctor’s appointment when assessed necessary by the healthcare worker Children arriving with families Children are asked direct questions during the initial screening (based on age and level of personal development) Teenagers are offered individual appointments with a healthcare worker Family interactions and dynamics are monitored when parents are present If concerns arise, the social and healthcare team work together to resolve them Unaccompanied minors Meetings with healthcare workers are often private The healthcare worker informs the team as necessary. In complicated cases, they are supported by a multidisciplinary team The child may reserve an appointment with a doctor as decreed necessary by the healthcare worker Children arriving with families Children are asked direct questions during the initial screening (based on age and level of personal development) With teenagers, a separate appointment may be made with a healthcare worker Family interactions and dynamics are monitored when parents are present If any issues are identified, the social and healthcare teams work together to resolve them 3.12.2018

Guardians, lawyers and parents/Hanna and Jori The guardian is present from the earliest stages of the child’s process The child is always informed about the guardian’s roles and responsibilities Emphasis: confidentiality, the guardian acting in the child’s best interests The guardian may also meet the child informally to build a trusting relationship The underage unit arranges translators as necessary and reserves a space where the guardian and child may speak in private. The child is informed of their right to meet their guardian whenever they want The guardian arranges the lawyer and is informed if the child wants to meet with the lawyer. The guardian is present in any such meetings. If contact information for parents is available, children may call their parents with the charges paid by the Oulu reception centre. If a child’s parents may be contacted via the internet the child will be offered opportunities to do so. The guardian is present from the earliest stages of the child’s process The child is always informed about the roles and responsibilities of their guardian. Emphasis is placed on the guardian acting cofidentially and in the best interests of the child. In addition to their official duties the guardian may meet the child informally in order to build a trusting relationship The underage unit arranges translators as necessary and reserves a space where the guardian and child may speak in private. The child is informed of their right to meet their guardian whenever they want. The guardian arranges for a lawyer and is subsequently informed should the child wish to meet with the lawyer. The guardian is present in any meetings with the lawyer. If contact information for parents is available, children may call their parents with the charges paid by the Oulu reception centre. If a child’s parents may be contacted via the internet the child will be offered opportunities to do so. 3.12.2018

How a system can be established in order to increase the opportunity for children to be heard? Regular meetings in everyday life (translated discussions with workers, unit meetings, separate meetings for children with families). Special services for children in family units (e.g. Save the Children / LYT) and staff trainings aimed at improving the inclusion of children (e.g. The ”Talking about Children” training). Annual customer survey (sample questions: 5. My counsellors value my opinion; 6. I can tell the counsellors about my concerns; 7. I trust my counsellors; 11. I can easily contact my personal counsellor if I need to talk to them) Students’ and researchers’ role in conducting research in various units. Volunteer work (especially in Oulu – for instance the Oulu university volunteer course at the reception centre underage unit). Regular meetings in everyday life (translated discussions with different social counsellors, unit meetings, separate meetings for children with families) Special services for children in family units (e.g. Save the Children / LYT) and staff trainings aimed at improving the inclusion of children (e.g. The ”Talking about Children” training) Annual customer survey (sample questions: 5. My counsellors take my opinion into consideration; 6. I can tell the counsellors about my concerns; 7. I trust my counsellors; 11. I can easily contact my personal counsellor if I need to talk to them) Students’ and researchers’ role in conducting research in various units Volunteer work (especially in Oulu – for instance the Oulu university volunteer course at the reception centre underage unit) 3.12.2018

Website http://jultika.oulu.fi/Record/isbn978-952-62-0989-0 Doctoral thesis of Mervi Kaukko - Participation in and beyond liminalities : action research with unaccompanied asylum-seeking girls Website http://jultika.oulu.fi/Record/isbn978-952-62-0989-0 Focuses on children's participation in a Finnish reception centre. Unaccompanied girls’ views of children’s participation: Children’s voice and participation Participation as the right to silence Participation as a means of coping with the present and preparing for the future Transformative participation in a liminal space 3.12.2018

Unaccompanied minors are the best experts of their own lives Unaccompanied minors are the best experts of their own lives. They come without background information and no-one speaks for them. 3.12.2018