The key is empathy from social workers to children and their families, especially in these difficult times.
Unaccompanied children are a vulnerable population as they flee their countries seeking asylum and refuge by crossing the border without caregivers. They flee from extreme poverty, and violence from their country of origin in hopes of a better tomorrow. They are in constant survival mode, as they encounter dangers while crossing over, including human trafficking and smugglers.
Today, we have Dr. Carolina Romo Aviles, a Mexican American clinician and case manager, with over 9 years of experience with Unaccompanied Children. Dr. Romo has previous experience working with the elderly population and later transitioned to working at Shelters as a Case Manager and clinician at Southwest Key Programs and Vision Quest.
Dr. Romo Aviles identifies with this population because of the culture and language, not mattering the country of origin of the children. These families have not had access to resources and struggle with fear and isolation. She has a deep passion for her work, which is more than an economical need for a job and having it as a personal life mission and vocation. “El punto de esto es la empatia”, meaning that the point of this is empathy.
She considers post-release services (PRS) to be interesting cases as she seeks to know what happens after the children are released to their sponsors and help them continue to attend school, as well as educate their families through follow-up with resources. Dr. Romo Aviles mentioned that grants change lives. “Cambian vidas”, meaning that the process changes the children’s lives. It is important to acquire funding through organizations such as KIND (Kids in Need of Defense), the Florence Project and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for PRS services, especially in the legal and medical aspects, as well as their rights as immigrants.
Dr. Romo Aviles stated that thanks to the follow-up in counseling that she has provided to children, they have finished college and changed their lives by being part of the US Economy. “Lo que logres es un avance”, which means that what we achieve is helping children and their families advance. Even though they arrived at the US undocumented, children and their families can follow law and order while achieving a better life for themselves.
Self-care and motivation drive Dr. Romo Aviles in her work. She has learned over the years to meditate, complete the urgent parts of her job first and other challenging tasks, and separate personal from business life. “Siempre he sabido lo que tengo. Siempre lo he valorado”. Dr. Romo Aviles stated that she has always known the job that she has had and has valued it. “Son historias de ninos muy fuertes”, as they are stories which are hard to handle. However, it is a skill and a vocation. Performing a job takes being grateful and having a positive attitude to help impact the lives of children and families.
More information is available at Federal Register :: Reducing Bureaucracy and Burden for Refugee Resettlement Programs and US plans up to $150 million legal support for unaccompanied migrant children – The Economic Times.
References
ORR Unaccompanied Children Bureau Policy Guide: Section 6. (2026, April 6). The Administration for Children and Families. https://acf.gov/orr/policy-guidance/unaccompanied-children-program-policy-guide-section-6
Category: Unaccompanied Children
Key words: immigration, post-release services, office of refugee resettlement
Pictures by Rita Casman