Unaccompanied Minors, Migration

Unaccompanied minors are children who migrate internationally without their parent or primary adult guardian. However, the term ‘ unaccompanied minor’ is the subject of debate within childhood studies, and many researchers prefer the term ‘separated child migrant’. In recent years, child migrants, and especially unaccompanied minors, have received growing attention in childhood studies. This focus is the result of increasing numbers of people migrating internationally, public anxieties about migration combined with preoccupations about the plight of separated child migrants, and a concern amongst researchers to document the specific experiences of this group of children. Childhood studies research has focused on the legal status and rights of unaccompanied minors, the protection of unaccompanied minors in ‘host’ countries, and representations of child migrants. A small body of ...