They’re in the news constantly – the “unaccompanied children” arriving at the Southern border. But how did they end up in the U.S. without an adult? What happens to them next?

With around 15,000 arriving at the Southern border every year, there is no single narrative. But all of the unaccompanied children share one thing: they are a child.

The United Nations defines an unaccompanied child (UC) as “separated from both parents and other relatives and is not being cared for by an adult who, by law or custom, is responsible for doing so.” The U.S. Office for Refugee Resettlement (ORR) uses the term as defined in the Homeland Security Act of 2002: A child who has no lawful immigration status in the United States; has not attained 18 years of age; and with respect to whom 1) there is no parent or legal guardian in the United States or 2) no parent or legal guardian in the United States is available to provide care and physical custody.

The U.S. experienced a surge in unaccompanied minors arriving at the Southern border in 2012 and the numbers still remain historically high. Some reasons can be:

  • they are journeying alone to unite with one parent in the US
  • they are in the company of a sibling or cousin below the age of 18
  • they are with a family friend or more distant relative whose identity can’t be confirmed; or
  • they are being trafficked.

The care of unaccompanied minors came into focus for most Americans when in 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services implemented the “zero tolerance” policy of separating children from their parents at the border, thus creating unaccompanied minors, many of tender age. This policy ended in June 2018.

It is crucial to identify a safe and legal guardian for children, but because migrants usually arrive without any ID or official paperwork, the risk of leaving a child in the hands of traffickers is high. While a “sponsor” is found (this is usually one of the child’s parents, in the US), the process of unification begins.

Where does foster care come in?

Unifying a child with their parents or state-side family can take weeks while the identity is confirmed and the home is checked for safety and welfare. During this time, many unaccompanied children will be placed in temporary foster care.

Cayuga Centers is a nonprofit which cares for between 0-900 of these children at any time. The organization places each child with a trained, licensed, Spanish-speaking foster family in New York City, to provide a secure and loving home while the unification process takes place.

Meanwhile, Cayuga Centers’ dedicated clinical staff look after the childrens’ psychological needs.

One of those is Daniel Zeilicovich. The UC Clinical Specialist says that unaccompanied children need a very high level of support.

“They are children who have been through a long journey and have not been able to reach their destination,” says Daniel. “They have not been allowed to be a child for a long time.”

Because their brains are still forming, children who experience this type of trauma are far more likely than adults to develop post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. For this reason, foster parents of unaccompanied children play a very special role.

“Sometimes the first real bed, shower or meal a child will have in months is the one provided at their foster home. Children already have enough internal emotional struggle to deal with, they shouldn’t have to worry about their safety or whether they are going to be looked after,” Daniel says.

Those basic needs are the first step. Clean underwear, clean clothes, a fresh bed, toys and books. The foster home must be a sanctuary.

Once the basics have been covered, Daniel advises foster parents to try and get to know the child and bring the focus back to how best to interact with them. Being able to identify triggers of trauma is an important skill all foster parents are taught.

Sometimes children express obvious signs of distress, such as sadness or anger. Sometimes they do not express any signs at all. What matters at these moments is for foster parents to understand that children might not possess the language to express how they feel, and might not even know what their triggers are.

The foster parents are not therapists–Cayuga Centers has a team of clinicians to provide professional support–but they can help stabilize and nurture a child while they await unification. Patience is key.

“It is not the job of the foster parent to cure pre-existing traumas,” says Daniel, “but instead to become the safe haven a child needs.”

Can you provide a safe haven for a migrant child?

Cayuga Centers is always in need of safe and loving homes for unaccompanied migrant children. Learn more about providing short and long-term foster care.