Insecure in a secure country? Non-accompanied minors in Switzerland between precarity and child protection

Abstract

In this conceptual article, the authors show and discuss the effects of the current implementation of Swiss policy in the area of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers (UMA or MNA) on the living conditions and prospects of the children concerned. The article is essentially based on a study on the accommodation and care situation of MNAs in Swiss federal asylum centers (Mey et al. 2019, 2020; Keller et al. 2017) and on a study on how professionals deal with the disappearance of MNAs from asylum facilities in Switzerland (Hartmann 2019; Hartmann et al. 2021). Based on key findings from the aforementioned studies and taking into account the current discourse on asylum and child protection, the problem areas and political logics are localized. Conclusions and recommendations for social policy and social work are derived from the findings presented.