EMN Ireland Conference: Looking to the future for unaccompanied minors in Ireland and Europe
The report Approaches to unaccompanied minors following status determination in Ireland is now available.
This EMN Ireland conference discussed the status, care and integration of unaccompanied minors in Ireland and internationally, both those awarded protection and those transitioning to adulthood without an immigration status. The multi-disciplinary conference brought together speakers from a range of organisations. Dr Bryan McMahon, Former Chair of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers provided an opening address.
9:00
Registration & Coffee
9:30
Welcome Address
Alan Barrett, Director, ESRI
9:40
Keynote
Dr Bryan McMahon, Former Chair of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process
10:00
Session 1: Unaccompanied minors in the international context
Chair: Michele Clarke, Department of Children and Youth Affairs
Approaches to unaccompanied minors following status determination: Ireland in an EU context
Samantha Arnold and Sarah Groarke, EMN Ireland/ESRI
Promising practices for working with separated children and youth to secure comprehensive solutions
Jyothi Kanics, Faculty of Law, University of Lucerne
The best interests of the child and the protection system
Maria Hennessy, UNHCR Ireland – the UN Refugee Agency
11:00
Questions & Answers
11:15
Tea / Coffee Break
11:30
Session 2: Care, aftercare and integration of unaccompanied minors
Chair: Shirley Martin, Co-Director Early Years and Childhood Studies, University College Cork
Social work and aftercare services for separated children in Ireland
Barbara Monaghan and Thomas Dunning, TUSLA Social Work Team for Separated Children Seeking Asylum
Unaccompanied minors in Sweden
Marie Bengtsson, Swedish EMN National Contact Point, Swedish Migration Agency
'More than a new language' - addressing the education and training needs of unaccompanied minors in Ireland
Jessica Farnan, CDETB Youth and Education Service for Refugees and Migrants
12:30
Questions and Answers
12:45
Lunch
13:45
Session 3: Pathways to status for unaccompanied minors
Chair: Hilkka Becker, Chairperson, International Protection Appeals Tribunal
Pathways to status for unaccompanied minors
Brian Merriman, Policy Division, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service
Katie Mannion, Irish Refugee Council
Unaccompanied minors and international protection – Legal services provided by the Legal Aid Board
Evelyn Petoia, Legal Aid Board
14:30
Questions and Answers
14:50
Closing Remarks
Emma Quinn, EMN Ireland/ESRI