Immigration

Educate And Guide Systems That Serve Immigrant Children

NCYL develops tools, trainings and policies that help agencies and professionals who work with immigrant children deliver culturally-responsive, trauma-sensitive, and legally-required supports and services at the state and community level.

Although each child’s individual history is distinct, many immigrant children share common experiences and face common challenges that are important for the individuals who work with them to understand. 

Immigrant children in our communities

Children and youth living in immigrant families are the fastest growing group of American children. This includes children who live with a parent who was born in a country other than the United States, as well as children who were born in a country other than the United States.

Immigrant children, as is the case for all children, belong with their families in communities, not in government custody. 

Providing critical context

Many immigrant children who have recently arrived to the United States have experienced complex trauma - from fleeing their homes and their countries to seek safety, to being held indefinitely in immigration custody, to needing to adjust to new cultural norms once released into the community.

NCYL develops tools that provide insight into immigrant children’s unique strengths and challenges so that the variety of professionals who work with immigrant children - such as courts, state agencies, social workers, mental health professionals, legal service providers, community based organizations, and others - meet them with effective services and supports.

Center Youth

The voices of immigrant children ground every tool, training, resource, and policy that we develop. The best practices and policies we recommend Center Youth, as well as the expertise of nationally-recognized expert partner organizations.