Minors should be enforced just as well

One of the last visits we’ve done, was at the minor section at Dale. It is funny in a way that the center has a ordinary section an enforced section and the unaccompagnied minor section. Although it seems more than reasonable that the sections with minors should be enforced in the first place. I don’t want to say that the current enforced section shouldn’t be. No I think I just observed that this section does have the means they need to do they work effectively. I.e. enough staff and a decent building, adapted to persons with a disability or some kind of disorder.

The minor section at the other hand looked just as our CADE at Klein Kasteeltje. Talking to Ragnhild, the previous coordinator of the bloc, it was surprising how much this minor section is similar to ours in Brussels (CADE at Klein Kasteeltje). We face the same challenges. First of all, minors who fled their country are a vulnerable group and should get additional support. They may have proven to be resilient and the future lies ahead of them, the responsibility that they have to carry at a minor age is huge. Staff accompanying them are the first who are confronted with this challenge and they experience every day that they cannot do enough compared to the needs this minors have. Sooner or later this might lead to a drop-out of a colleague. Which again has an unwanted but negative impact on the rest of the staff. Unfortunately, the risk of burn-out in this situation is real.

Recently, the team made a change in policy. One I would fully support. The number one priority now are activities. Even if that implies some administration work is not finished in time. The coordinators of the team insist that educators should not stay in the office but be present in the living room or organise activities with the youngsters. It has a good impact on everyone. The minors are more calm, tensions are decreasing and the staff is feeling more satisfied.

To all of the staff working with minors: keep up the good work! You’re doing a very important job.

Kobe